Finding her humanity
by AstridWinchester
Summary: Arsenic is not your typical hybrid. Acheron is the god of death and destruction, the final Fate. Friendship and trust blossoms as they happen to meet and their worlds collide.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: Short chapter but the next few are longer. Acheron doesn't belong to me, more's the pity**_

Arsenic noticed the tall guy leaning in the alleyway of the bar and went up to him. "Evening," she greeted. "Forgive the intrusion, but you just looked so enigmatic standing here that I had to join you."

He looked up, surprised. "Enigmatic? Well, that's a first for that one."

"Really? That's odd."

"Surprisingly. But most people just refer to me as sexy man beast." He winked, and then smirked.

"Oh?" She laughed and shook her head. "I can see why but I get the feeling that there's more than meets the eye so I stand by my original assessment."

He stepped back, examining the human? Demon? He didn't know. "More than meets the eye, huh? Like what?"

"Now that would be telling, wouldn't it?" she winked coyly back. "You're a lot more than a pretty face. You give off definite vibes."

"Damn. Mind games already?" He cocked his head to the side to study her.

"Sorry, habit." She smiled in a friendly way, then held out a hand, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "It's Arsenic, Mr. Sexy man beast."

He took her hand, and instead of shaking it, kissed it. "Arsenic?" His eyes lit up in amusement. "Isn't that a poison?"

"Indeed it is," she agreed and retrieved her hand. Her phone going off alerted her that she was supposed to be someplace else and she tossed him a smile and a wink before walking away, calling over her shoulder as she went. "See you around, sexy man beast!"


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: Acheron is not mine, belongs to Sherrilyn Kenyon**_

Arsenic walked around the dark, cold streets with no real destination in mind. The air had a bite to it as it was getting colder but she wasn't often bothered by the weather. Usually, she just went somewhere warm, but as it was, she had no desire just yet to pick up and go.

It occurred to her that she'd never gotten the name of the guy she'd spoken to briefly the day before and wondered about him. All she knew him by was "Sexy man beast", and while she was sure it was an ego-booster, she doubted it was his actual name. He'd seemed nice, maybe a bit guarded but that wasn't an altogether new experience. Plenty of people were that way, herself included. She hadn't minded talking to him, mostly because he'd worn shades the whole time. While it was odd, it was also a comfort; she didn't like making eye contact with people.

It surprised her how he'd reacted to her simple compliment, and she also noticed that he'd tried to analyze her, but probably didn't succeed. She hoped that she saw him again, at least got a name that time around.

Acheron was on his way to meet up with one of his hunters. He had just rounded a corner when he saw…Arsenic? Yeah, that was her name, just like the poison. Their chance meetings were becoming strange. But he took it as a sign, and walked over to her. His graceful moves and sly steps made him almost completely silent, making it easy for him to sneak up on her. He popped up behind her. "Well, fancy meeting you here."

She couldn't help the slight jump at his sudden appearance and swung her gaze over to see him walking a little behind her, calm as you please.

"I could say the same," she replied and quirked her lips in a smile. "Do you often go walking alone at night and talk to strange women?"

Arsenic eyed him thoughtfully, taking in the all black clothing. He also still wore the sunglasses, despite the fact that it was night. How unusual, but who was she to judge?

There was also the very subtle magnetic attraction that exuded from him but she ignored it. Her instincts told her that while he was a looker, he probably wouldn't take well to being touched. Besides, she tended to avoid such interactions. As a vampire, her primary concern was food and finding prey, then forcing her humanity to switch back on. As a wolf, she simply stayed in that form and it needn't have mattered.

She was only in town to visit an old friend, and was smart enough to survey the area before making a decision to stay or go. Romantic attachments weren't on the agenda, but maybe, she considered him again, a friend was.

He laughed at her jump. "Scare you?" He prowled around her. "I'm always out at night. It's my favorite time."

He looked her up and down, she really was pretty. He couldn't quite pin point what it was that drew him to her, but he planned on finding out. Finally, he stood next to her, holding his arm out. "Care to take a stroll?"

"No," she scoffed and was seriously glad it was night out so that he couldn't see the blush that gave away her lie. "That's something we have in common then, the sun is rather annoying."

Again, she noted the way he watched her but kept her gaze lowered to the sidewalk and let her hair fall in her face. When he offered his arm, she hesitated slightly then accepted, linking her arm through his before she could think twice long enough to change her mind. "As to the other; certainly."

He began walking with her, his eyes averting everywhere but at her. He was nervous… Strange. This wasn't a feeling he usually had. And honestly, it concerned him. He was usually repulsed by everything that had to do with human contact. His past had made him cringe every time someone touched him, and his 'friendship' with Artemis caused him to cringe every time someone said they felt anything towards him.  
Yet here he was, walking with Arsenic. And he felt fine. A little strange, but overall kind of… happy.  
"So, what exactly were you doing out here all alone?"

"Exploring," she answered truthfully. "It's been some time since I was in this area and I was curious. That and I got bored," she smirked.

As they walked, she studied him out of the corner of her eye. He moved like pure poetry, each step measured and assure of himself. It was graceful, and yet at the same time, a little intimidating.

"Any particular places of interest, Gigantor?" She teased as he was just a little taller than her.

"Exploring? Who explores at night?" He immediately retracted the questions. "Okay, yeah, I know. That was a total hypocrite moment." He laughed looking down at her.

"Not really. I'm usually not interested in being anywhere except under the weight of my guitar." He smiled, flashing his teeth yet hiding his fangs. He didn't want to explain exactly what he was yet, and most certainly not his past. He wasn't sure she would stick around if she knew. "What about you? Anywhere you'd like to go?"

She laughed with him at his questions, not offended in the least. "Everything looks different after dark," she answered. "During the day people are always walking around and consumed in their own lives but at night... the world sleeps and if you look close enough, you see the beauty that the sun can't touch."

"Guitar, huh? I never had the patience for instruments. Singing is different but even that I do sparingly," she added.

The mysterious stranger beside her smiled and she returned it. It was then that she realized that he had no heartbeat. Well…wasn't that interesting? She'd passed over the word 'alone' in his question because it simply hurt too much to remember that was what she'd been for a long time.

"Not really, been pretty much everywhere," she shrugged. "But my friend isn't home and I'm a bit at a loose end, so here I am exploring. I also do my best thinking while walking."

As she spoke Acheron realized something…he couldn't read her thoughts. It was a complete blank.  
He tried, using all his powers, but she was still silent. Interesting. He let go of her arm, and gracefully swung his across the back of her shoulders. "The dark may show the beauty of the world, but it also unleashes the evilest of creatures. Things lurk at night that never would during the day."

When he let go of her arm, she slipped her hand into her pocket again but wondered at the sudden change. Had she said something wrong? Surely not, she reasoned. Her thought process ended when his arm rested on her shoulders and she suppressed the urge to flinch. He didn't seem to mean anything by the touch but she'd lived too long not to be cautious around people.

"Evil is all in the eye of the beholder and I see things in unique ways," she commented. "For instance, before you joined me I was pondering the fact that people are like coins," she told him then explained. "There's the age old saying about there being two sides to a coin, but what gets overlooked is that there's actually three sides."

He looked at her confusedly. "Three sides?" He pondered this, but couldn't grasp her reasoning. "Care to explain?" He rubbed her shoulder with his thumb.

She withdrew a penny from her pocket and held it up in the dim glow of the street lights. "Heads," she turned it over, "and tails." She then showed him the edge of it as she went on, "then there's the ridge."

When he still didn't seem to understand, she went on. "Well, if you think about it we all have two sides; dark and light. But like a coin, if you stand it on its edge and with a lot of practice and patience, it balances perfectly. We have a tendency to sway one way or the other but the best way to exist is to find an even ground between the two."

Fitting the penny between her thumb and her middle finger, she angled her arm and flicked it off into the grass somewhere. His touch was getting distracting but she didn't show it. "So, in conclusion: people are like coins."

Understanding, he nodded his head. "Yes, but I think people have a tendency to just flop over to the dark side. It's easier to lie and manipulate than actually try to be a good person. I don't agree with that, but people seem to take negative things that have happened to them and turn them into excuses to be…well, bad. Whereas I'm on the dark side and using all my energy trying to flip to the other side with deeds I do every day. But it's hard."

He looked at the ground then her. She looked uneasy. He pulled his arm off her, shoving his hand into his pocket.

"I can relate to that. No one ever escapes life unscathed," she agreed. Her mind flashed back to her past at the topic and the familiar shame that accompanied it. As a vampire, she flipped the switch because it took away all the pain and she didn't have to dwell on the fact that she was the only one of her kind. It was why she tried so hard to stay in the grey areas.

"Sometimes we do things we're not proud of to forget the horrors," she said and mourned the loss of his arm on her shoulders. She had been without company for so long that she didn't know how to deal with it, but now that it was offered and gone, she cursed her emotions. How like her to weaken at a time like this.

"I've been to both sides. I've lost myself in the darkest pit possible and tried to find redemption. Frankly," she laughed humorlessly. "I'm damned, so it doesn't matter which side I act on."

"I don't think it really matters how damned a person is, I think…well, I think there's always a way back. Always a small light that they can fight to get to. People can always turn around and undo their bad lifestyles and start fresh. I just don't think people want to. They relish in the fact that they're so far gone they can get away with anything. They accept the fact that they're going to hell, and they don't care."

He kicked a rock out in front of them with his black boot, hoisting his backpack onto his shoulder so it didn't fall down. No matter how hard he tried to distract himself with other things, he kept finding his gaze drifting back to her. His mind was in a whirl.

"I try to convince myself of that," she nodded. "It's how I met my friend Dia," she smiled fondly at the mention of him. "He has a thing for picking up strays and when he found me I was pretty lost in the evil side of myself. He taught me how to control it, that it wasn't all I could feel. I'd probably still be that way if not for him."

She had to admit though, he had a point. But how could she really explain that she knew exactly where he was coming from without revealing too much? She watched him kick the rock and he kept sneaking glances at her, but she wasn't sure what to do about it.

"At some point he decided I was worth saving, and I think it was exactly what I needed." She worried her lip then looked over at him, keeping her expression as clear as possible and his shade-covered eyes rose to meet hers. "Who will save you?"

He scoffed. "Save me? There is no way to save me." He almost continued on, but he would have been telling her too much. But…he kind of found himself wanting to tell her. It was against all of his own rules though. He promised himself no one would ever know the full story, and that was one promise he wanted to keep to himself.

Almost as soon as the words were spoken, she regretted them. What was _wrong_ with her? She barely even knew this guy, yet she was being so forward as to pose such a question. This wasn't like her. She'd worked hard to keep herself cut off from people. Dia always got onto her about it, insisting that humans weren't so bad and that she could learn to tolerate them if she tried.

What he failed to understand is that she didn't _want_ to. That was the first step to caring, to opening up. She'd built her walls with determination and chose her friends with the same amount of focus. But something was different about him, she could tell, although what it was she couldn't fathom. She had always been observant, letting her instincts guide her and they'd immediately picked up on him from the first meeting. He harbored secrets and pain, she recognized it because she saw it every time she'd willingly lay eyes on her own reflection.

"I'm sorry," she said and swallowed. "I shouldn't have asked that." Tucking her hair behind her ear, she looked back down and away from him. Hopefully he would forgive her impertinence. "You know," she flashed a smile to cover her nerves. "I just realized that we've run into each other twice and are now walking and I still don't know your name."

He laughed. "It's fine, I usually don't answer people's questions but…for some reason I'm perfectly fine with yours."

"I told you, I'm sexy man beast." He winked at her, smirking.

"But in all honestly, if you really want to know…I'm Acheron Parthenopaeus… I'm the God of death and destruction." He watched her to see her reaction. He couldn't believe he had told her that, and now he wished he hadn't.

Acheron. She turned the name over, mouthing it and smiled. It was a nice name, and it suited him. Arsenic allowed herself a moment to wonder what color his eyes were and took a calming breath. She was about to take a giant risk, but she'd never had much patience with playing it safe or beating around the bush. It was the moment of truth, what his reaction would be when she laid her cards on the table. She would learn exactly how much she could trust him with her next statement.

"Now that we have that out of the way," she drawled and arched a brow at him. "Why don't we take this one step further? I already knew that you weren't human. A god though… that I didn't expect. You can relax darling," she smirked to show him that she wasn't bothered by his declaration. "Neither am I."

Her response startled him. Most people ran away shrieking. "Then what are you?"

"I'm..." she paused and tried to think of a way to describe herself. "An abomination." She heard the bitterness tinting her tone but let it go. She exhaled a steadying breath and ran a hand through her hair and changed the subject.

"Look, since I like you, I'll level with you. I'm not asking you to tell me your secrets, or anything really. I mean you and yours no harm, and have no intention of causing trouble. I meant it when I said that I'm just here to visit my friend. So this is me giving you an out. You decide to take it; we can pretend that this conversation never happened and go our separate ways, provided you don't reveal what I am and I won't hold it against you. If not, then I'll tell you anything you wish to know."

She stopped walking and angled her body to face him directly, her jaw taut and chin lifted. "For what it's worth, I can be a very good friend if you want it, and I ask nothing in return except your discretion. But if you choose to stick around, know this; I'm in it for the long haul. I have lost enough people that it's made me loyal and too stubborn to walk away no matter how rough the road gets. You need help, or company, I'm here. You intrigue me, and I wouldn't mind getting to know you more but I leave it in your capable hands. Stay or go?"

He stopped to stand across from her, his hands still jammed into his pockets. This was a turn of events he wasn't expecting.

"If I didn't want to be around you, why would I have been walking with you for so long? I may be a lot of things, and one day, I may cause the end of the world." He said it so casually that it almost scared him, but only almost. He had known his different destiny paths for far too long. You didn't become the God of death and destruction without some severe punishments, and consequences.

"I don't abandon people. It's happened to me one too many times in my extremely long lifetime. I refuse to treat anyone the way I have been. Nobody deserves that."

His face was stoic, completely submerged into a serious expression. This was a topic he knew all too well. People said they would be there, then would disappear exactly the moment you truly needed them. It was like a secret pact. When your friend reached for your hand, you turned your back on them.  
He wasn't like that…at all. When he made a promise, he kept it.

"You can trust me."

She examined his expression, fighting to keep any of her emotions or thoughts from surfacing. She appreciated that he said so, but trust had never come easy for her. People said they'd be there, and then were gone in a blink of the eye. Promises were pretty words like soap bubbles that popped in the breeze. But she desperately wanted to believe him with an intensity that scared her a little. As it was, only Diablos had managed to make the same vow with the same sincerity and keep it.

"For both of our sakes, I hope you're right," she whispered and crossed her arms over her chest as the wind picked up. "I stopped putting my faith in people centuries ago, having someone give their word means nothing until they live up to it."

Arsenic started walking once more, then looked at him. "We all have a destiny, if yours is to end the world, it'll happen or it won't. No sense getting skittish over it. If you have any questions, you may ask now and I'll answer honestly."

"What exactly are you? You've lived centuries? Yet I can't read anything about you." His powers were completely blanking around her, it confused him terribly.

"I am what is commonly referred to as a hybrid," she sighed, "I'm half shape-shifter demoness and half vampire. I'm 726 years old. I don't really know the exact breed of demon I am, but I'm the only one of my kind."

Losing patience in the fact that her hair was getting in her eyes, she pulled it back into a ponytail, clearing her vision. "It's complicated, but long story short, a demon took the form of a human man and either raped or seduced my mother, who bore twins. Me and my sister, Leora. She died when she was young," she explained and licked her lips, pressing past the painful memories. "When I was around 400, I was turned into a vampire. Making me the first hybrid, and as such I can change into any animal I choose, wear silver and go out in the daylight. I have to be invited inside a home like any normal vampire but with a few…" she angled her head, "abilities."

"Oh." He sighed, relieved. "I thought I was going to have to kill you." He winked then held his breath as she pulled her hair up. He didn't think she could get any more attractive. Man, was he wrong. Of course he didn't let this thought cross his emotions. He only glanced away…yet again. "I'm eleven thousand years old."

"I'm not even sure if you could," she laughed. "But how about we _don't_ test that theory?"

She relaxed marginally at the fact that he didn't seem too concerned about her nature. It was a relief. She guarded that secret religiously, and few knew what she really was. "After I was turned, I became a ripper for 150 years, until one night this vampire came upon me in the middle of a hunt, surrounded by bodies. I'd torn their throats and hearts out, and was covered in blood. I reveled in the bloodlust, totally lost myself in it. Torture and destruction were my bread and butter. I'm not proud of what I became."

Wincing at the memory, she fixed her gaze on the sidewalk and reached a hand out to trail along the links to a fence they passed. "I was a whole new level of freak, and I was perfectly fine with that fact."

Her attention caught on the comment about his own age and her eyes widened and she whistled softly. "That's a long time to be alive."

"As a Dark-Hunter, I protect the human race. I completely contradict my natural form. As the God I am I'm supposed to wreak havoc and destruction on everything. I have to feed off the Goddess Artemis in order to keep my sanity. A pact made long ago. I hate her, but I need her. Screwed up, huh?"

He had no clue why he was telling her any of this. But the more she opened to him, the more he felt he could open to her.

"She watched as her brother, Apollo, gutted me on the floor for a crime I didn't commit, and she did nothing. But then as soon as I was turned into a God she was suddenly interested in me. Like I was on her level."

Her jaw clenched at the raw pain in his voice and she took a moment to gather her thoughts. She wasn't stupid; he was stripping himself bare, showing her things he probably hadn't before to too many. It meant something to her, and she felt sympathy for him. She made the decision there and then that she would keep her promise, that she would do anything to help the god walking beside her. Maybe it would turn out to be a mistake, but she was already too far in it to care.

"I think it doesn't really matter what we're supposed to be," she said finally. "You start life with a clean slate. Then you begin to make your mark. You face decisions, make choices. You keep moving forward. But sooner or later, there comes a time where you look back over where you have been and wonder who you really are."

"I couldn't have put it better. I try to live without judging people on anything except their personality because of my past. Sometimes that's easier said than done." He edged back over to her, and draped his arm slowly across her shoulders. "Is this okay?"

"It's all about choices, you know?" She looked at him and smiled. "Free will and all of that crap. As a vampire, we can switch our humanity off like that," she snapped her fingers in demonstration. "It makes living eternally more bearable, because you don't have to _feel _it. The guilt, the shame and the hurt. I did it so I wouldn't have to face the fact that not only was I alone as a half demon, but now as this new monster."

He moved closer and placed his arm around her shoulders again and she missed the question he asked at first then nodded. "Its fine," she reassured him and cleared her throat to go on. "Dia was my voice of reason, brought me back from the edge of insanity. Since then, I've made the choice to stay as a sane hybrid. I only hunt when I need to blow off steam or when blood bags don't cut it. I don't kill unnecessarily, and I try to help more than destroy."

She considered again his confession about Artemis and frowned. What must it be like to have to need the one who betrayed you and left you to die? She couldn't imagine it, she didn't want to. He didn't deserve that, and it chipped at her unbeating heart that he had to. "You'll never be on her level," her comment came out more of a growl and she stamped down on the anger she felt on his behalf. "You'd never do to her or anyone what she did to you."

"See? There is good in you. You can't help what you are. Everything needs to feed. Everything has to do what it needs to in order to survive." He looked up; it was going to be dawn soon. But for some reason he didn't care. "I wish I could forget everything I've been through as easily. It would sure as hell make my life a lot more pleasurable, but I'm forever damned, for no particular reason." He shoved his glasses up the bridge of his nose again. "It's a terrible feeling, ya know? Having to protect the one person you want to kill above everyone else."

"I'm far from a saint but I try at least to see past the black and white. There's so much hiding in the grays and that's what gives life substance."

She watched him adjust his glasses and look up and she did too, not even realizing that time had gone so fast. She had the strangest desire to pull his glasses off, just to see into his eyes, for only a second. She didn't dare. It was his security, his barrier, she could sense that and she'd permit him that small comfort. It wasn't her place anyway, she reminded herself forcefully. She was getting in too deep, growing to care for him and his past and that road led nowhere good.

"I refuse to believe that we're all truly damned. Some of us have the fortune to remember things, and some don't. Plenty of humans have selective memory. And what you need in order to survive, you learn to love. I craved the release having no conscience brought but it came at a terrible price. There's blood on my hands and my soul. But I won't let it affect my actions or perspective, because then what's the point in being here? I can't fathom the weight of having to protect the one person who should have protected you and failed."

"I've been screwed over so much that I barely trust anyone. Which leaves me wondering why I'm telling you so much?" He grimaced. "For a reason I don't know, I'm so comfortable around you. It's like…it's like you completely understand where I'm coming from. And I guess to an extent, you do."

She blushed scarlet and dropped her gaze, unwilling to look at him and cursed the fact that her hair was back and he could see it. "I'm flattered. I don't trust easily either. It's too breakable, like this glass ball we're constantly trying to juggle. The wrong step or move and it can be irrevocably nicked or scarred and it's never the same again. It's just easier not to, to shut it all out."

"And you don't have to say anything to me; I told you that I ask for nothing except that I won't be exposed. I am glad you do, for whatever reason. There doesn't always have to be one, either."

Brushing her fringed bangs aside, she rested her head on his shoulder, not really thinking about it as she did. "But if you don't trust, then the world is infinitely more lonely, and empty. It may be a risk and can tear you apart, but isn't it better than being constantly safe and emotionless?"

She never got a reply because it was then that he had to go and after requesting that she meet him again that night, he was gone.


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: I do not own Acheron, he belongs to Sherrilyn Kenyon**_

Arsenic gazed out the window of Diablos' apartment from her spot on the window seat, a book propped up on her legs. Her attention wasn't on it however; instead it kept wandering back to a certain black clothed god. He'd managed to creep into her mind, and it was damned inconvenient, she sighed and shut the book again, giving up on the pretense of reading.

Her initial assessment that there was more than met the eye with him had most definitely been true, but even she was shocked by how much. He'd confided in her things that even he admitted that he didn't know why, but there was still a lot more, buried deeper. Also there was the little matter of the attraction she felt toward him.

To say it was troubling was an understatement, she mused. She was female, and as a vampire, she was constantly craving. Whether it was blood, entertainment, or sex. Her emotions were also heightened, which meant that the two tangled and blurred together into incomprehension. He was physically appealing, but also mentally. The more time she spent in his presence, the more she felt it. She wasn't sure what to think about that. She supposed she could always satisfy herself with a random stranger or simply drink until she was something close to buzzed. Unfortunately getting drunk with a vampire metabolism was nearly impossible, but that didn't mean she couldn't try.

Acheron snuck glances at her and watched her when he didn't think she noticed, but she did. She noticed everything about him, down to his expressions and the barest hint of movement in his form. She warred with herself when she was close to him, even harder when he touched her. She valued her self control, but he put it to the test. As much as she wanted to push the boundaries of whatever it was that was developing between them, she wanted more to do nothing.

She would not use him. He _wasn't _a stranger that she could seduce, drink from, then send on their merry way. He was the closest thing she had to a friend aside from Dia. She wouldn't give into it, whatever it was that was drawing her in, persuading her to reach out and just succumb to his embrace.

She needed to feed, she groaned inwardly but out of respect for him, she would go at least two or three towns over. It was one of those days where a blood bag wouldn't do, she needed a vein. To hear a pumping heartbeat, to spend time just listening to it before she fed. The way it would slow until she'd finished and then compelled the victim to forget. Acheron was complicating matters for her, but she found that she didn't altogether mind. Without further thought, she grabbed her jacket and was gone from the apartment, tucking away her concerns and worries and vulnerabilities for later contemplation.


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N: I do not own Acheron, he belongs to Sherrilyn Kenyon**_

It had been a full day since the last time he had seen Arsenic. Their talk last night had been intriguing. He hadn't wanted to leave, but he knew he had to be back to Artemis before dawn. Arsenic was standing on the same street corner as the night before; he had told her to meet him there at dusk, anticipating a similar conversation to last nights.

He walked up beside her. "Hello." He drew it out, his breath making a white cloud in the chilly air.

Turning at the sound of his familiar voice, she smiled warmly at the god who walked up to join her. She slipped her hands into her pockets and shifted from one foot to another. She'd been pleasantly surprised to be asked to meet him, but of course, she didn't turn the invitation down. He was good company, and so far had yet to disappoint her in providing stimulating conversation.

"Hi," she greeted and looked him over. "Why'd you ask me to meet you?"

"Oh, I can't meet up with you to walk and chat?" He scoffed. "Fine." He turned his back to her, folding his arms, hiding the grin teasing the edges of his mouth.

"I didn't say that," she laughed and darted out a hand to grab his arm to stop him, bringing her closer. She persuaded him to face her again, using a small bit of her vampire strength and looked up into his face. There was a smile on his lips, fighting to break free and she smiled. "Just surprised, you disappeared so suddenly on me last night. Almost hurt my feelings," she stuck her lower lip out in a pout.

He laughed, uncrossing his arms. "Sorry." He scratched at the back of his neck. "I told you…whenever the bitch calls, I have to go."

"I know," she nodded. Well, she sort of did. At least the part of him having to go; but she still wished that he didn't have to put himself through it.

She was in good spirits that night. Her day had been spent three towns over, immersing herself in music, the hunt, and alcohol. Two of those helped curb the craving but she'd be lying if she said that he hadn't crossed her mind.

Abruptly aware of how near she was to him and that her hand still covered his arm, she pulled it back. "Shall we?" she asked and nodded to the sidewalk stretching before them. She wanted to ask what it was Artemis had wanted of him, about what he was, but she was patient. She enjoyed their becoming regular rendezvous too much to worry over what she should and shouldn't say.

He began walking, her next to him. He adjusted the backpack he carried on his right shoulder, he never went anywhere without it. "So...How was your day?"

"Can't complain," she shrugged easily and fell into step with him. "Felt like a bit of fun and since I did promise I wouldn't hurt you and yours and this is your territory, I spent it a few towns over."

She glanced down at her outfit that she'd worn to the club she'd visited. Black shirt, dark navy jeans and heeled boots. She'd been dressed to kill but when the clock had signaled that it was time to meet up with her new friend, she'd toned down the jewelry and tied her hair half back, the rest falling in curls.

"The downside to being a vampire is the constant thirst. But alcohol helps, so I indulged and found some promising dance partners." She smirked and flashed him a wink, "should've been there, bet you'd have had more fun with me than Artemis."

He cringed at the mention of Artemis, his back was still sore, but he wasn't bleeding. He had made sure to wear an extra layer of clothing just in case one of the several cuts decided to pop open.

"Eh, I'm not really one for dancing..." He smiled. "Or anything to do with human contact at all, really."

When a breeze picked up, she frowned at a scent she didn't expect. She'd recognize it anywhere, had tasted it in the throat of some scumbag who'd been trying to slip roofies into girl's drinks at the club. She moved in front of him in a blur, halting his progress, and took a whiff of him and leaned back. It was coming from Acheron.

"Why do you smell like blood?" she asked the question in a dangerously calm tone and gave him a level glare. It didn't matter that he was wearing his shades, she demanded an answer.

"And for that matter, if you don't like human contact, why have you put your arm on my shoulders twice? Aside from being a freak show, I'm no different than anyone else." She couldn't force any answers from him — well she _could_, but not with those damned glasses in place. She wasn't going to go so far as to remove them though, and hoped that he would confide in her.

He stopped abruptly, not expecting this concerned change. _She could smell his blood. _Of course.

He wished he had healed himself, but Artemis would have dragged him right back by his hair and hurt him ten times worse if he had. It was all part of the pact.

"I...I...um..." He was stumbling over his words, and didn't know how to respond. "It's complicated." He left it at that as he side stepped and continued walking around her.

Her eyes narrowed slightly at him when he sputtered and followed him without wavering as he stepped around her, giving some shitty excuse that explained nothing. She stayed where she was, casting her gaze down to the sidewalk and steadying herself. His scent was pushing at her self control, as was his non-reply, but she had more than enough practice reining it in.

She was worried. What exactly did the bitch put him through? And more pressing –_why_? She had to consider her actions carefully, she would get nowhere with him by demanding explanations, but she wasn't going to let him off easy. He was her friend, and friends trusted each other.

"You said I could trust you," she muttered softly, still not moving or looking up. "Why can't you do the same? All I want is the_ truth_, Acheron."

He stopped, already a few paces ahead of her, but didn't turn around. He did trust her, but he wasn't sure what the Goddess would do if he told what really happened between them. But even more importantly than that, what would Arsenic think of him?

He took a deep breath then turned around. She was standing where he had left her with a sad expression, one tilting toward devastation. Perhaps even disappointment. Taking another deep breath, he clenched his hands into fists, the tips of his nails digging into the skin of his palms.

"I was a sex slave when I was human." His eyes immediately averted to the ground, all of his pride and dignity stripped once again. "If you want to know more, then come on." He turned back around, heading down the sidewalk.

When his footsteps stopped and he turned to face her after a moment, she raised her head to meet his. She was aware that her hurt and disappointment was showing, but she didn't care. Someone had to care for him and despite her reservations; she did more than she had anticipated. She was no fool, he had been keeping so much locked inside, and it bothered her that he wouldn't tell her.

Acheron's body tensed and she noted the fearful way he looked at her before he spoke. His confession made her eyes widen in sympathy but she squashed it with some effort. He was uncertain about telling her, she could sense it. But he was taking a risk and doing it anyway.

He invited her along again, but he looked so defeated and resigned that she felt her long since dead heart twist. She said nothing as she caught up to him, content just to listen. She'd already pressed him, and he clearly needed to let it out. She boldly slipped her arm through his, ignoring the stiffness in them. She would let him talk, but not without offering some form of comfort. Whether he liked it or not, she was there for him and nothing he said would change that fact.

He liked the feel of her skin as her arm touched his. It could almost make him smile, if he wasn't so down. Still his eyes lifted a bit, but then returned to their place on the ground as they walked.

"There's really not much to say. My mother was Apollymi and my father was Archon. The Fates cursed me before I was even born, so Archon set out to kill me. Before he could, Apollymi cut me out of her womb and sent me into the stomach of a queen who was already having one boy.

"When I was born I had silver swirling eyes." He hesitantly took off his sunglasses, glancing at her to prove what he said was true. Then quickly put them back on. "The King thought it was a bad omen, so he sent me to live with my uncle in Atlantis while my twin, Styxx, lived a life of luxury. My uncle used me as a tsolous, a sex slave, and his own personal toy. My life was one hell after another. Even when my sister, Ryssa, came and got me and I lived in the palace. It was horror after horror."

He looked up at the sky as if saying it to the Goddess herself. "Then…then I met Artemis."

He seemed to not mind her forwardness, or at least; he didn't pull away. She listened intently to his story, trying to envision it. When he removed the glasses, all she saw was silver. They were extraordinary, and she wouldn't have minded a better or longer look at them but he put the shades right back on and she realized that his eyes made him uncomfortable.

She had questions, like why the Fates had cursed him, but once he began talking, she was afraid that at the smallest interruption, he would stop. Sometimes the poison just needed to bleed out, in order to heal. What he didn't know, or think that he could trust, was that she would still see him in the same way. But she would, or at least in a new light if anything.

Arsenic didn't usually allow herself to feel compassion for people, but at his history as a sex slave, she did for him. Her poor friend, to have gone through so much. She watched him look up and heard the subtle chill in his voice as he said the goddess' name and suppressed the desire to tear something apart. He didn't need her anger, he needed her understanding, and she would give it freely and without conditions.

"I don't know…I don't think I should talk about her right now. I've already told you enough..."

He was folding; his door to his past was closing yet again. He just couldn't bring himself to endure the torment over and over again. He would tell her the rest, eventually. But now didn't seem the time or place to go into details.

Arsenic rubbed his arm soothingly with her hand, saying without words that it was alright. She could wait for the rest, if he chose to share it. Instead, she let her mind wander back to her other unanswered query.

"You didn't say why you don't mind _this_," she prompted, nodding to her hand and arm linked through his.

He smiled. "I would gladly tell you but I don't know." He placed his hand over hers, gently rubbing her hand with his thumb

She'd probably regret this later once she was alone and had the time to really think over it, but she told the voice in the back of her mind telling her to stop while she was ahead to shut up. She removed her arm from his and pressed both of her hands to either side of his face, cupping his jaw and making him look squarely at her. She imagined his liquid mercury colored eyes staring at her in surprise and pretended not to notice his flinch.

"Listen to me, Acheron Parthenopaeus," she directed him firmly. "I'll warn you now; I'm going to break down every single wall you've built, until there's nothing left to keep you from trusting me. You don't have to be afraid of saying anything in my presence. None of it can change what I think of you, or make me run for the hills. I told you: I'm in it for the long haul. Whatever you decide that you want me to know, I'll listen with an open mind and unbiased eyes. I give you my word that I will see to it that you learn to really trust, like you never got the chance to. All you have to do is make the choice to let me in. You're the strongest person I know, and I admire that you even want to save or protect humans after what your family and this life has done to you. There's beauty in darkness, Acheron, and you're the most breathtaking being I've ever seen."

After her speech, she gave him the warmest, kindest, and most affectionate smile she could. She surrendered to the impulse to rub his cheek with her thumb gently before she released him, not wanting him to feel uneasy about her touch. She was the one to keep walking this time, permitting him a few minutes to really take in what she said and the sincerity it was said with. She didn't go far, just a few steps really, but it was a statement that she knew he would understand.

He had never had anyone be so straight forward with him, and he had to admit, he liked it. He took his glasses off, sliding them slowly into his pocket as he took his hands out. She was only a couple steps ahead of him, easily in arms reach. Before he could think otherwise he grabbed her arm and drug her back to him. He looked at her, his eyes softening, before he grabbed her face and his lips met hers.  
The kiss was better than he imagined it would be, but as he pulled away he realized what he had done and took a step back, expecting her to hit him.

She didn't have a chance to get far before he'd grabbed her arm and suddenly she found herself against him, his eyes on hers. She barely had time to think or react before he was kissing her and then anything she might have said or done was forgotten. It was over just as fast and he took a step back, watching her with an expression as if he was waiting for her to lash out at him.

Her hand rose to touch her fingertips to her mouth and she swallowed. That was unexpected. She moved closer to the fence and was quiet, considering this new development. She curled her fingers around the metal links, the coldness of them biting into her skin. She was looking through it but in all actuality, her thoughts were elsewhere. The attraction was there, but she'd convinced herself that she wouldn't act on it. Especially taking his past into account, and her own.  
He wasn't the only one with a past buried deep. She simply refused to speak of hers to anyone. There was a reason she switched off her humanity, if she didn't; it started to kill her slowly from the inside out. She'd made comments about being an abomination, monster, and a freak, but she wasn't completely joking when she said them. She was all of those and more.

She didn't deserve his companionship, she admitted to herself bitterly. He had expected her to run or stare at him with disgust, but she couldn't because it would mean she was acting hypocritical when she was far worse than he. That was the difference between the two of them: bad things had been done to Acheron, but she'd willingly caused another person's suffering.

She had maimed, tortured, killed, broken spirits, as well as their sanity. She'd inflicted pain on innocent people with a song in her heart and a smile on her face. He'd said that she had to do what she did to survive, that she couldn't help what she was. That was a lie. She was a hybrid. She became evil because she simply had no reason not to be that way.

If he even knew half of what she'd done, he wouldn't see her the same. She kept herself under lockdown but even that was tentative on her best day. Every time she shut her humanity off, she had to force herself to remember why she should turn it back on. She was alone, and likely always would be. What did emotions matter to her? It would be so easy to just let go and give into the ripper, and no one would be able to stop her. Except Dia, maybe. He'd done it before- trapped her in a panic room until she'd detoxed and come down from the high that taking blood from the vein gave a vampire.

Just imagining all the deaths that had been at her hands and fangs, she sighed quietly and hung her head in shame, the bars of the fence pressed into her skin. Thoughts like this usually led her into flipping the switch; anything to make them go away. But with Acheron near, she couldn't take that risk. Not when his blood smelled so appealing already. She fought for control, falling into herself to calm the cravings and hold onto the fact that she didn't want to hurt him. The last thing she would ever want would be for him to look at her with hatred or revulsion, like he ought to.

He was a good guy at heart, despite the trauma of his human life and whatever it was that Artemis put him through. He chose to save lives and protect, while she simply ate and ran, rather than killed mindlessly. He was the better person in this friendship, while she couldn't make that claim about herself.  
"Before we do anything else, you should know my story too," she told him at last and turned to face him.


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N: I do not own Acheron. He belongs to Sherrilyn Kenyon**_

He looked at her as she stood against the fence, her hand on the bars. She looked upset, and that made him feel all the worse for what he had done.  
He was so stupid. Why did he have to ruin everything? Just as he was about to walk away, thinking she probably never wanted anything to do with him again, she turned around. He was shocked when she openly admitted that he needed to know her past too.

"I'm all ears." He said holding his hand out so they could continue walking.

"You won't like anything I have to tell you…" she said and accepted his hand and began the trip down memory lane. "When I was young, hunters came for my sister and I. Apparently demons weren't supposed to be able to procreate and my 'father,' for lack of a better word, had been bragging. Men captured us, tortured us, and used us as test subjects. They wanted to know how we were possible. What we were capable of. I watched as they hurt my sister over and over, swearing to rip them apart each time when one day I got my chance. One of our captors forgot to lock the door and she snuck out of the cage they kept her in to help me. I tried to protect her, our mother had been killed when we were taken and she was all I had."

Arsenic felt herself slipping further into despair as she spoke but didn't stop. He'd given her something, it was her turn. That was how they worked, it seemed. "I failed spectacularly. She was weak from the tests and not as strong or as angry as I and there were so many. They had tried to use our blood to clone our DNA to make hybrids. Of course it didn't work, but they had powerful drugs. She fell trying to save my life when my back was turned. My twin, my beautiful sister Leora, died in my arms. I couldn't even grant her last request, for Kahna, her teddybear."

A tear fell from her eyes and she wiped it away impatiently and went on. "That was the first time I gave into the darkness. I tore their hearts from their chests, one by one, until the last one standing was the one responsible for grabbing us. For the tests and for her death."

She took a deep breath and continued, there was no going back now. "I kept him alive for two weeks, feeding poison - what is now known as arsenic to be specific - into his body and put him through every mental torment I could devise. I wanted him to suffer as I suffered. I slaughtered his friends and every single family member he had, including a wife and two children. When he finally breathed his last breath, I was there to make sure he knew his killer. From that day on, I became Arsenic. I never wanted to forget the true potential of a human being. Just how much they'd hurt me."

He kept his eyes averted to the ground as he listened intently to what she was telling him. Unlike him, who had been betrayed by the Gods themselves, she had been betrayed by humans. He could understand her bloodlust now, her need to feed. And he could most definitely understand the origin of her name. He stayed silent, continuing to walk, allowing her to go on with her past.

"A few centuries later of traveling mostly as an animal, I came into contact with a vampire. He was charming and I thought he loved me. I was wrong. Turned out that he wanted to experiment on me too. He changed me into a vampire and I ripped his head off with my bare hands." At this, she looked at them, almost able to see his head in them again after so long. "As a vampire, our emotions are heightened. What once was anger intensified into rage. I embraced the freedom of being a ripper. I was well and truly alone, the only one of my kind. It wasn't for another few centuries that Diablos came along and during that time I learned that my mother's ancestors were druids."

Faltering again, she cringed at the next part. What would he say when she told him of the witch clan? "I found a coven in Europe and they taught me the trade. By taught, I mean that I threatened theirs and their loved one's lives unless they co-operated. Once I knew all I needed to, I dispatched them without hesitation. Ending their lives was nothing to me, they were a means to an end and that was all."

Still keeping her gaze lowered, she finished her tale. "I've done a lot of despicable things, Acheron. And what makes it worse is that I didn't care. You said I couldn't help being what I am, but that's not true. I was born a hybrid, I chose to become an abomination. I could go back to it without regret if I so decided, and then even you wouldn't want to know me." She leveled a challenging and utterly cold expression at him, raising her chin to accept the consequences of her honesty. "Tell me again that there is good in me, after all I have said."

He listened to the end of her story, how she killed relentlessly, and how she could have helped what she was. Usually, as a Dark-Hunter, he was sent to kill people like her. Those that lived for the thrill, that kill without need. But for some reason his feelings towards her were different. He didn't view her as a threat, to him or anyone, really. There was something more inside her, some small sliver of humanity that kept just an ounce of her blood pure and wholesome.

"I still believe a piece of you is good. People make mistakes, and everyone, no matter how small it is, has a bloodlust. I've done things I'm not proud of. I've gotten people killed, and I've killed others. If you think any of that is going to sway my feelings towards you, you're wrong."

She was speechless. She stared into his eyes, trying to find some sign that he was lying. _Something._ No one forgave that easily, it wasn't natural. He was supposed to have walked away or shown some sign that it bothered or disgusted him, yet she saw none. All that she could see was understanding and compassion, even tenderness.

She shook her head and cleared her throat, desperately trying to think of a way to convince him that he was wrong but she couldn't. Damn him. He wasn't reacting at all how she'd prepared for, instead the complete opposite. "I don't understand how you can act like it's not a big deal. I'm a _freak_, Acheron," she spat and her eyes flashed. "If I wanted to, I could walk right into a bar or public place and drain them dry in a second. I could even hurt you. I'm what you should be protecting people from, not admitting that you have feelings for me."

He shrugged, a small smile playing on his lips. "If I wanted to, I could end the world with just a few words. Like I said, you can't help what you are."

Arsenic let out a choked laugh at his words and glanced at him then away again. How like him to say something like that. To downplay it by reminding her exactly who she was speaking to.

"You're either very stubborn or very brave," she commented dryly. "I can't decide which." Nevertheless, she gripped his hand and squeezed it once in a silent thank you. He'd listened to her past, and he was still there. While half of her felt that it was too good to be true, she needed that small comfort of knowing that she could trust that he wasn't going to abandon her just because she had skeletons in her closet.

"I'm serious when I tell you I won't leave. I could be far worse than you if I wanted, it's just a choice for me not to be. You either embrace it or fight against it. I can't judge you or criticize you for embracing your destiny." He finally looked at her straight on without his sunglasses on. And smirked.

She nibbled on her lip uncertainly and accepted his words without argument. She didn't believe for a second that he could be worse than she. He hadn't seen her at the darkest, only Dia had.

"You wouldn't kidnap a hunter's wife and leave pieces of her body on his doorstep or work," she denied in a whisper. "I don't even know why I choose to keep my humanity on. Half the time I would love nothing more than to keep it in the 'out of order' direction but I can't. I'll visit it sometimes when the craving gets too strong, but then I always wonder, exactly what reason do I have to come back?"

She laughed to herself and lifted her head at his destiny remark and met his smirk with one of her own. Double and triple damn him. She couldn't help but get lost in those eyes of his, or his smile, and again the nervousness returned. "I told myself that I wouldn't do this," she said. "That I'd be your friend only. I don't know if I have it in me to care anymore. My heart froze and stopped beating centuries ago. I don't even know if I believe in destiny."


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N: I do not own Acheron or Sanctuary. This is a story I'm writing with someone so it's not going to be like the others. **_

"No, I wouldn't physically slaughter anyone. But, I wished death upon my best friend in anger, and because of it he killed himself. My word is law when it comes to death."

He put his hands on her shoulders, rubbing them. "I won't make you do anything. If you just want to be friends, I'm okay with it. I'm in no hurry. I have all the time in the world." He smiled, showing his teeth, and exposing his elongated canines.

Arsenic softened at his words and smiled, reassured for the moment. "I think I just don't want to screw up whatever this is. I mean trust me, you're _very_ tempting," she grinned and bit her lip then went on, "but after what you said about your past, I refuse to be another person to hurt you in that way."

She looked into his eyes and didn't fight the rush of warmth. "You're not just some stranger that I can play with, bite, and then say it was nice knowing you. You're dangerous."

She leaned her cheek to the side, reveling in his touch then lifted her gaze to see him smirking at her, fangs showing. She let the vampire part of her come forth as well but not for long. "I'm just careful who I let see the vulnerable part that should have died a long time ago."

"Like I said, take your time. I'm in no rush." He winked, letting go of her shoulders.

He continued to walk down the street. "Oh, by the way, I am so the more powerful of us." He laughed.

Arsenic winked back and slid her arm around his waist nonchalantly. Something about being with him made her at ease, and it was nice having to not be so on her guard. They knew each other, and accepted the flaws in the other. He was right, they had time.

"I'm sorry about your friend," she said and looked up at him. She liked the fact that he hadn't put the shades back on, it meant that he really did trust her. "Do you want to talk about it?"

At his other comment she burst into laughter, unable to stop the grin. "Oh aren't you mature?" she teased and pinched his hip lightly. She loved seeing him close to happy.

"Nah, that's a story for another day." A smile played at the edges of his lips. "What? You know it's true!"

Arsenic nodded and kicked at a rock absently. "Anytime you feel like, the door is open. I'm in need of a drink. Do you have to be anywhere right now or would you object to steering me to a suitable establishment?"

She said the words in a formal tone, hoping to get another laugh or smile from him and rolled her eyes at his reply. "I have no doubts of that, dearest. But if you're referring to my statement about you being dangerous, that wasn't what I meant."

He grinned. "Well…I do have some places to be and I can't be hauling your ass around." He sighed, teasing her.

"Oh," she replied with a unwelcome flash of disappointment. Just when she was enjoying his company too. "Hey!" she scoffed in outrage at the hauling her around part and she made a face at him. "You know you love spending time with me, admit it! But if you really have to go, then should we meet up another time?" she asked and pulled her arm away.

He grabbed at her, another smile spreading across his face. "I was just kidding." His eyes sparkled. He was in the best mood he had been in in a long time. "Where do you have in mind?"

At the sight of his smile she pursed her lips but she couldn't be too irritated. He'd been picking on her. Of course. "You're not nice," she pouted and crossed her arms, scrunching her nose.

His eyes captivated her, the honest joy and mischief in them giving her butterflies. Oh yeah, he was definite trouble. "I just want booze. You know the area better than me," she shrugged. "Where's a good place for a god and a hybrid to get a drink and relax?"

His mind immediately went to Sanctuary. That was the best place for them to relax and be themselves. Owned by were-hunters, it was safe. He grabbed her hand, and kissed it. As he did wind whipped around them, and when he leaned back they were standing in front of Sanctuary.

The purple neon sign lit her face up and the ground around them. Music played from the inside loud enough to be heard where they were standing. He bowed, throwing his arm out. "After you."

When he grabbed her hand, she was caught by surprise and her pout disappeared at his kiss upon it and she felt the wind move faster and clutched it instinctively. Somehow he'd brought them from the abandoned street and in front of what looked to be a club by the name of Sanctuary. She peered up at the sign, then at him when he bowed.

"Show off," she muttered under her breath and went ahead of him, pulling the door open and glancing around. Immediately she noted the presence of other beings that were most definitely not human mingled with a few that were. She wasn't certain about this place, but she would trust his judgement this once, she figured and glanced at the bar then a booth. "Bar or table?" she asked him.

It was then that she realized that a peculiar song began to play and that people were watching the two of them - she wasn't sure who was getting the most attention, him or her for arriving beside him. She pretended not to notice though, unwilling to spoil her time with him over her dislike of being scrutinized.

Upon their entrance he noticed all the people who turned to stare. The place was packed. He threw his arm around her, laughing at the attention they were getting. "I don't know. The bar will be busy, especially later on, but at a booth we could have some privacy. Your choice."

If anyone hadn't been watching them before, they most certainly started when all he did was laugh and throw an arm around her. At least he wasn't concerned, she rationalized and smiled up at him, tossing her hair from her eyes as she did.

"I vote booth," she answered and led the way to an open one. It was a two-seater, and she felt herself slipping back into her comfort zone since it was only Acheron. She ran a hand through her hair and tried to pinpoint the waiter or someone to take their order. Her eyes picked up on the location of the bathroom and the exits, filing them away in her mind by habit.

"Do you come here often?" she asked him and ran a hand through her long hair.

He gestured to a waiter a few tables over. It was Wren, one of his favorites. Wren looked up and he threw two fingers in the air. The waiter vanished into the kitchen.

He looked back at Arsenic. "Eh..I used to come here a lot more often. I've been so busy lately that I haven't really been around. I know the owners and all the staff. They're like family."  
Wren walked over to their table, setting down two beers, and walked away silently.  
"What about you, any specific places you like to lounge about?" He picked up his beer taking a swig.

She watched as he signaled someone and turned her attention back to him and tapped her nails on the tabletop.

"I don't suppose that I've mentioned that I'm not the most sociable person in the world, have I?" she asked and smiled her thank you to the waiter who set their drinks down then just as quickly disappeared, leaving them alone again.

"Busy with what?" she prompted, propping her chin on her hand and looking at him. He'd put his glasses black on since they were around others and while she missed the sight of his eyes on hers, she was almost thankful for the buffer. "What does a Dark-Hunter do anyway?"

At his question she shrugged and sipped her drink. "You'll think it's weird," she cast her gaze down and toyed with her straw.

"Well…it's complicated, like everything else in my life seems to be." He smirked. "The simplest way to put it is, I protect the human race. And no, not from vampires, or anything like that. From these things called Daimons. They feed off human souls."

He looked around at back at her. "I'll think it's weird? Give it a shot."

She smiled at his smirk and perked a brow, intrigued. Daimons? "Odd. Never heard of them, which you would think that I would considering how long I've been around and my penchant for traveling. And not to mention a major ew on the human souls part," she shuddered and made a face.

She hesitated and took a long pull of her drink before answering. "I have this thing about cemeteries. I don't really know why; just always find them really peaceful. You already know that I like to dance and such, but aside from graveyards, I like to be in nature. A few centuries ago I stayed in my wolf form and just wandered around the Aspen Mountains."


	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N: I do not own Acheron**_

"How is that weird at all? I like being in nature, but like I said, I haven't had much time to do anything lately. I lead the entire group of Dark-Hunters, and there are several of us in each city. All over the globe.  
Each and every Daimon attack that goes wrong and they can't handle I have to be there for. Well, I don't have to be there, but I prefer to be. There's no point in losing a Dark-Hunter because it was eight against one. Especially when I could be there to help out."

"I guess it just sounds so cliché," she laughed at herself and ducked her head. "A vampire that likes cemeteries. I remember this one, in Italy. I think it was my favorite because it was small. With these old iron rustic gates and mausoleums. People don't use those anymore. There was a weeping willow, it just felt so sadly fitting," her smile turned wistful. "I think I spent every night there for a week before moving on, just feeling the silence and watching the fireflies."

She nodded at his explanation of what his hunters did and she could easily picture him leading them. He had such a commanding presence, an aura of power around him. "I can't believe I never knew about them. I'll bet that I've even come across them too. Why do you fight them?"

"I didn't even think about the vampire and cemetery correlation." He laughed. "But I guess whatever suits you. Daimons are originally people of Apollo, first we have to start there."

She smirked at him and rested her chin back on her hand, half paying attention to him and half to the rest of the bar. She absently traced designs on the tabletop with her fingertips, her hand very near to his but not quite touching.

"Apollo?" she repeated with a surprised look than shook it off. "Sorry, I'm just not used to the 'gods are real' thing. Go on," she said and hushed to listen.

He reached out and rested his hand on top of hers, smiling sheepishly.

"Yeah, luckily I grew up in a time when the Gods were thoroughly worshipped. Not like in today's society. Well, after they killed my sister Apollo cursed all his people to die horribly at the age of twenty-seven. That was the age my sister was." He looked up at the ceiling, then back down at her. "Somehow they figured out if they took in human souls they could live as a Daimon, but they have to continue to take souls to stay alive. And when they take these souls the people are given no resting place. They roam forever alone." He frowned. "I wouldn't wish that on anyone. So we kill them in order to set their souls free."

"Hm," she mused quietly. She rubbed her thumb over his palm lightly, too focused now on his touch than on caring what their starers would think. "I can't imagine what it must have been like, growing up with gods and such. I mean people are so set in their religions now but to consider the fact that the gods are actual flesh and blood..." she trailed off and shook her head to dispel the thought.

Her eyes softened in sympathy at the mention of his sister but something in the way he said her name clearly said that it wasn't a subject that she should mention. "So basically, they were cursed for someone else's actions and they stay alive by taking the souls of other people?" She pursed her lips and took a sip of her drink. "No offense but your pantheon doesn't sound like the best lot. I don't know though, maybe it's me but it all just seems so tragic. A never-ending cycle of pain," she said and her mind flashed back to Artemis.

He laughed. "If you want to get really technical…the Atlantean Pantheon consists of two gods. My mother and I. She killed everyone else, including my father."

Her eyes widened slightly and she pressed her lips together to keep in a squeak of surprise. _Atlantean?_ Well..that's…yeah. "I reiterate my previous statement," she snarked dryly and finished her drink, then wove her fingers through his.

He smiled at their clasped hands. "Hey, it's not all that bad!" He paused then chuckled. "Okay, yeah, it pretty much sucks."

Arsenic winked and scrunched her nose playfully at his protest and giggled at his admission. "See? I'm right. Bow down to my awesomeness," she joked and lifted her chin in mock superiority.

He teasingly glared. "Over my dead body." Then his eyes lit up. "But…if you insist on one of us bending over.." He winked leaning back and checking her out then burst out laughing.

This time she did squeak, as well as blush a deep red and looked everywhere else but at him. How was she to reply to that comment? She sucked her bottom lip between her teeth and bit down on it, trying to come up with some sort of reply. "Think you're hilarious, do you?" she tossed back at last and made a face at him. "I doubt you could handle me anyway," she remarked to save face but couldn't help the image his words put into her mind.

He scoffed. "You don't think I could handle you? Puh-lease. You couldn't handle all this and you know it." He teased amused at the lovely shade of red her skin had turned.

She arched a brow and rolled her eyes, clearly saying that he was being over-confident. "I can handle anything you dish out, darlin'," she muttered and smirked seductively. She was playing with fire, she was sure but it was just too much fun for her to really care.

"You better watch yourself," he laughed.

"Or what?" she challenged him, her grin turning devilish. "I'm not afraid of _you_." She stuck her tongue out at him and relaxed in the booth. She opened and closed her hand, running her nails over his slowly. She was curious which of them would break first in their new game, and it wouldn't be her.

He raised an eye brow, and when she stuck her tongue out he moved quickly and caught it between his teeth. He slowly released it, leaning back. "Next time I'll bite it off."

At his sudden action, her playful mood quickly dissipated at the speed in which he moved and caught her tongue. She gulped when he let go and eyed him nervously, even more aware of the intense attraction between them than usual. She got up from the table and moved quickly out the door but not before giving him a look that invited him to follow and she backed into the alley beside Sanctuary, taking a deep breath.

Her sudden move from her seat to the door surprised him. He raised his eye brows, leaning farther back into his seat before jumping up and following her out.

His rushed steps caused him to be careless and he shouldered a few humans as he left. Once outside he scanned the area, catching her scent in the alley. He stood in the opening, still on the sidewalk, and pressed his shoulder against the cold wall of Sanctuary. He eyed her in an amused fashion.

She looked at him for a long moment before closing the distance between them and grabbed a handful of his shirt, catching his mouth in a kiss. She licked his bottom lip and nipped it, then pulled back just a little to await his reaction. "Don't start something you don't intend to finish," she told him quietly, her eyes darkening with desire. "Vampires crave more than blood you know."

He gladly returned the kiss, enjoying every bit of it. He gently pushed her against the wall then hesitated. "Wait…are you only doing this because its a vampiric craving, or because you actually want to do it?"

She felt the wall at her back and removed his shades again, cupping his chin to make him look squarely at her. "If it was just a vampiric craving, I'd have made some excuse and gone somewhere else, Acheron. I have no intentions on ever using you in such a manner. You've already been through that too much, I refuse to add myself to that list."

She pressed a soft kiss to his nose and smiled, "I'm doing it because it's _you_ that I want. Unless you're rejecting me?" she asked softly and tilted her head to one side.

"Why on earth would I reject you?" He smiled slyly.

She shrugged. "I won't dignify that with a response and shall settle on doing this.." she kissed him again, winding her arms around his neck. She pulled him even closer and ran her fangs over his lip, requesting entrance. One of her hands tangled in his hair just to feel the silkiness of it.

He slipped his arms around her waist, accepting the kiss. Then..she put her hand in his hair. He slightly hissed. "Just..don't pull my hair. That's all I ask." He breathed against her lips.

At his hiss, she stilled and she pulled her hand away to rest on his shoulder. She didn't want to hurt him and that clearly bothered him so she refrained. "Okay," she shivered at the feel of his warm breath against her mouth and flicked her gaze from his eyes to his lips. As a vampire she was almost always in the mood for a roll in the hay but this was Acheron, so it was different. She'd have walked away and never touched him again if he asked it of her. "Kiss me," she whispered quietly.

He obeyed and his lips met hers yet again. It was passionate, it was…different. Nothing like he had ever experienced before. And he liked it. She was considerate of him and his wishes, and he was considerate of hers.


	8. Chapter 8

_**A/N: I do not own Acheron**_

Arsenic smiled into the kiss and cupped his jaw with one of her hands, the other resting on his shoulders. Her thumb moved in soft and slow circles against his skin and she was faintly surprised - and pleased - that he didn't flinch. Indeed he was too caught up in kissing her to really notice, not that she was complaining. She nibbled on his lip and prolonged the embrace for a few more minutes before leaning her head back against the wall. If she had a working heart, it would be beating a mile a minute, but as it was, she still needed a moment to catch her breath. Being so near to him was like standing in the middle of a fireplace, her whole being vibrated with warmth and it was intoxicating. "I change my mind," she said lightly and smiled at him. "About wanting to be just friends. I think there's something here, and while it's a bit unnerving, I want to see where it goes."

When she leaned back, he looked at her in surprise. She wanted to be more than friends? Under any normal circumstance this would scare him, it would make him run that very minute. No one in his life had ever wanted to be more than friends and not hurt him. But…he trusted Arsenic for some odd reason.

At her words she noticed the shock on his face and the brief hesitation but she waited him out, aware that she'd probably just asked for more than he was willing to give. She well remembered his tale of his past and the highlighted parts that made her wish that she could erase the shadows in his lovely eyes. She sucked in her lip anxiously, suddenly feeling more vulnerable than she had in a while. What if he said no? He would be well within his rights to, giving all he'd experienced, and she wouldn't have blamed him whatsoever. But she really wanted him to say yes, with a sincerity that made her more than a little wary.

Acheron's body relaxed against hers and he smiled as he admitted that he wanted to be more than friends as well and she held her breath, waiting for him to change his mind and back away or something similar. Was she being a complete fool by wanting to take a chance on whatever it was between them? Love hadn't worked last time, but then again, the guy had been only after one thing and it hadn't been her heart, but on her uniqueness.

"Are you certain?" she asked him, unable to stop the words from escaping. "I'm giving you another out here, take it if you need to. I don't want you to have any regrets. If you can't, because of what happened to you, I understand and we don't have to mention it again." She kept her tone neutral and her expression carefully controlled to only show guarded concern.

He rubbed his nose against hers, a smile playing at the edge of his lips. "I'm sure, I really am. If I wasn't I would say so."

Reassured, she relaxed and smiled then kissed him again quickly. "Okay," she accepted his agreement. "Just trying to be all mature and everything. We've both got our scars but I'm trying this new thing where I care more about what people feel before I act." She trailed kisses along his jawline and over his cheekbones, memorizing the texture of his flesh beneath her mouth. "I promise I won't hurt you like everyone else," she whispered between kisses. "I'd rather walk into a den of hunters unarmed then cause you any pain, Acheron."

He looked at her, then stared at the wall. "I've heard the same thing a lot of times.."

Her smile disappeared at his words and she caressed his cheek softly. "I know.."

He grabbed her hand, holding it close to his chest. "Promise me you won't be like the rest.."

Now that was a vow she could make and keep easily. She gazed into his eyes, her expression 100% serious. "I swear to you, Acheron. I won't hurt you. I won't do anything you'd hate me for. You can trust me to keep that promise, no matter what we end up being. Even if we end up friends only, I will never go back on my word."

He grinned, and pulled her hand up, kissing each and every finger. "Good."

She hissed as she sucked a breath, heat unfurling in her stomach at the cool feel of his lips on her. His eyes held hers with that maddening intensity and she felt as if she was drowning in them. "Can you make the same promise to me?" she gasped out. She was quickly losing her footing around him and that was terrifying. He wasn't the only one afraid of getting hurt in this scenario. She could fall for him if she let herself and she knew it.

He let go of her hand, placing both of his on the wall above her. "I promise."

Arsenic wound her arms around his waist loosely and smiled and nuzzled at his throat. She let the were part of her come out a little by purring. "I just realized that I never showed you my other ability…or told you my actual name…"

"So do it now?" He glanced up and down her body.

"Pick an animal…" She answered. "And I was born Analeise Erindale Kaiya. But I just went by Kaiya for a while until…well you know."

"Analeise? I like that.."

"It's been a very long time since I've spoken that name," she replied thoughtfully. When had she used it? Before Leora's death?

"I understand why you dropped it, but I really like it, I mean really." He laughed.

"Stop that, you'll make me blush," she laughed and looked down. "I also stopped going by it because Leora was the last to call me by it I believe. Simply hurt to much to remember." She pinched his hip playfully, "now, animal? I've many tricks that I haven't showed you," she teased.

He raised an eye brow. "Like what?"

"Well, since you've asked and failed to specify the animal, I'll show you." She stepped away and behind a nearby dumpster then focused on the form she'd taken to using in the last few centuries and felt her body make the change. She padded over to him and looked up from her pure white wolf form and pressed her muzzle to his hand and licked it, went back to the dumpster and re-dressed. That was the one downside to changing, she was bare when it happened. "There's also the druid magic from the witches," she added once she'd finished and brushed her hair away from her face and stood.

He looked surprised at her change.

Nibbling her lip uncertainly, she stayed a good few foot away and watched him then lifted her hand and summoned an energy ball into it, her fingers lighting up with a pale blue electricity. She closed her fist a second later and crossed her arms. Now she'd shared with him the majority of her secrets, she felt far more naked than she'd physically been not a moment ago. "I told you I'm a freak," she said the words softly and quietly under her breath, hoping he wouldn't hear.

He was baffled. Never in his thousands of years had he actually witnessed someone turn into an animal.  
Sure, he was friends with countless were-hunters, and he had seen almost all of them in their animal form, but he had never actually seen the transition. It amazed him.

Then he heard her call herself a freak. Turning around, he looked out at the street nervously. Everyone seemed to either be in the club or on their way home. The street was empty. His hands trembling, he walked farther into the alley until the streetlight only faintly lit his skin.

Then…he transitioned, straight into his God form. His skin turned an eery blue, his lips turned the color of coal, and two small horns protruded from the top of his head where his hair was now completely black. The last to transform were his nails which elongated and turned black and sharp. He hesitantly looked up, awaiting her response.

Arsenic cocked her head to the side and let her gaze travel slowly over him when he changed, taking in the startling image before her. She was curious, as well as intrigued and very humbled. She had the feeling that he wouldn't have done that for just anyone. "Well that's a different look for you," she remarked dryly just to have something to say and smiled to put him at ease. She went up to him and swept her eyes over his features up close and placed a kiss on his mouth. "Still just as breathtaking, no matter the form."

He returned her kiss, his God form melting away as he did. He was too dangerous in that form, he couldn't risk it in a public area. "See? Don't call yourself a freak."

She smiled and fit her hands into her pockets, kissing him once more before speaking. "Can't, sorry. Not polite to lie."

"It's perfectly polite if its not a lie." He leaned his shoulder against the wall.

"Except the fact that it would be," she replied evenly. She wasn't caving on this subject and hoped he wouldn't push her on it but doubted that he would let it go without argument. He hadn't so far. She hugged her arms closer to her chest and looked down to scuff her boots on the ground, her hair falling in a curtain over her face.

He lifted his hand, pushing her hair away from her face and tucking it behind her ears. "Fine. Believe what you want, I know I won't change your mind, but I don't think you're a freak."

She stilled at his touch and darted her gaze up to meet and hold his, swallowing. Did he have to be so damn _understanding_ all of the time? It was maddening! She constantly felt as of the wind was getting knocked out of her whenever he spoke or smiled, hell even just looked at her. "We see through very different eyes, Acheron," she replied quietly and shivered at the chill from the wind. It would take a while for her body to regulate back to normal, like it always did after a shift but she was used to it by now. Of course it didn't help that he was watching her with his warm eyes, full of intensity.

"I would be concerned if we thought completely alike." He grinned.

Like always, he'd said the exact thing to lighten her mood and make her smile and she did. She moved closer to him for body warmth and leaned her back on the wall beside him and rested her head on the wall. "That'd be a bit unsettling, it's true. What _do_ you think of me, Acheron?" she questioned quietly, her voice just above a whisper as if afraid of the answer he would give, because in all actuality she was.

"Well…" He looked up at the sky, a blanket of pure black had settled across it, a sprinkling of stars. "I think you're gorgeous, beautiful." He fidgeted with his hands.

"Incredibly intelligent. Gods, you're smart." He laughed. "And you definitely have enough about you to kick my ass or anyone else's if you ever needed to. You're like…the perfect woman." He finally turned to look at her.

All she was capable of was blinking as all thought died at his words. She hadn't known exactly how he felt or what he thought, which was the reason she'd asked but now that she had and he'd answered, she was stunned. Her cheeks were burning, a sure sign that she was blushing and she dropped her gaze to the ground then sideways at him. He was sweet and it was amazing to her, taking his past into account. "I…" she faltered as her tongue got tied again and she tried once more to kick her brain into gear. "I don't really know what to say right now," she admitted. She shifted even closer though, so that she was barely an inch away from him. Being near to him did things to her, and she was having absolutely no luck figuring out a way to stop the overpowering urge to be by his side and never leave.

He wasn't sure where to look. At her? At the ground? His palms were sweaty, he realized just how nervous he was. She really did mean a lot to him.

"I guess you don't have to say anything."

"It's not that I don't want to," she hurried to reassure him. "I mean there's a lot I'd say to you were the situation reversed but that's more a conversation for a private place, not an alleyway after I was just naked," she joked and flushed some more. "It's just…no one's ever really spoken that way and meant it but I know that you do. I trust that you do, and I'm still getting used to that particular revelation."

He smiled. "I don't see why, I'm just speaking the truth."

"All truths sound like lies when first spoken until proven otherwise," she replied. Then she blinked, startled that she had just spoken first and not thought about it before hand. She rarely ever did that. She always chose her words carefully and with thought to every outcome and reaction, then decided how much of it was safe to say and how much wasn't. Yet with him, she was relaxed enough to speak openly. "You're changing everything," she mumbled to herself.

His expression turned confused. He shifted back and forth, shoving his hands into his pockets as always.  
"How am I changing everything?"

She opened her mouth. Then closed it. What _did_ she mean by that? "I've been alone for a long time, not counting Dia's occasional barging into my life and because of it I got used to the loneliness. It's like a second -well _third_ I suppose - skin. I've spent a lot of that time aimlessly wandering and choosing my words and friends carefully, not once allowing my heart to come close to being affected, aside from the vampire asshat. But something about you, Acheron…" she sighed and bit her lip, casting around for some way of saying what she wanted to without sounding like an utter fool. "I don't have to worry about that. My mind shuts off and it's a pain to get it working again because you don't react like I'm used to. You're challenging the way I've seen the world and the people in it and it's insanity in my head right now. Were it anyone else, I'd have run for the hills, but all I want to do is be as close to you as possible. It feels selfish, and I don't know how to deal with all of it. Ugh," she groaned and hit her head on the wall behind her in disgust with herself for pouring her soul out to him. "I'm pathetic."

He cleared his throat, then turned to stand in front of her. He was especially fidgety, and had no clue what he was doing.

"Um..I have a question." He couldn't help but stutter, he was extremely nervous. "Will you…will you try this out with me?" It was the best he could do, the best way he could phrase it.

Was he really asking her to be his? He barely knew her, this was wrong, yet it felt so right to him.  
He held his hand out, hoping she would take it, but preparing himself for rejection.

Arsenic eyed him curiously, it wasn't often that Acheron looked nervous..or at least he hadn't in the relatively short time they'd known each other. She raised her gaze to his when he stood in front of her, a brow arching in question and it only added to her confusion when he started to stumble over his words. Had it been anyone else, she'd have mocked them for it, but it wasn't anyone else. She gulped when he asked her to be his and glanced down at the hand he held out to her. It looked as if he was struggling with himself and like he expected her to slap his hand away or something. Then she realized that was probably exactly what worried him. He'd been used and abused so much that even the smallest sign of vulnerability scared the hell out of him. She placed her hand in his, intertwined their fingers and tugged him close, claiming his mouth with hers. She kissed him for a long moment, slipping her tongue between his lips to taste him. She reluctantly pulled away and smiled, her lips brushing his. "Of course I will," she breathed softly and locked her eyes on his.


	9. Chapter 9

_**A/N: I do not own Acheron, he belongs to Sherrilyn Kenyon**_

All traces of nervousness fled him as her lips met his. He wrapped his arms around her instinctively. When he pulled back he let out a sigh without meaning to. He shrugged, smiling. "Good."

"As you said," she whispered and didn't mind his arms around her one bit, "why would I ever reject you?" She skimmed her fingertips over his jaw gently and kissed his chin. She liked kissing him. It felt so natural. Usually that would worry her, due to the fact that it really hadn't been that long since they'd first met, but she really didn't feel like arguing with herself about it. That would come later once he had gone to who knew where and she was alone once more. Until then, she was perfectly content just enjoying his company and his embrace. The animal part of her was so happy, she could have started purring, she mused. "Would you like to walk some more or head back inside? Or, I don't know…something?" She really had no preference, so long as he was with her.

He rubbed his hands down her hips. "Whatever you want to do, I don't care." He smiled.

At the motion of his hands moving, she had to bite down on her lip and close her eyes before blurting out her first thought. She debated their options. Did she want to be with him in front of prying eyes? Not especially. Did she want to walk? Yes and no. "Would you like to come to my place and just relax there?" she asked tentatively but blushed. "I'd rather just have time with you alone, and not with a billion eyes on us. I figure we can sit down…talk…" she trailed off, realizing how stupid she must sound.

"Sure." He softly laughed as he watched her search for the right words like he always had to. "Where is it? I'll just flash is there."

"Um…" she actually had to stop and think about it a moment, which made her laugh at herself. "Corner of Fifth and Main. It's just a temporary place. My friend insisted on buying it so I had an incentive to visit. It hasn't worked until now," she joked.

He pressed his forehead to hers, grabbing both of her hands and closing his eyes. A current of air swept around them once again. When he let go and stepped back they were in her apartment. He looked around, she had minimal decorations, it was somewhat plain, but he could understand that perfectly.

"Nice." He breathed.

She felt dizzy, so she reached out a hand to steady herself and luckily it landed on the couch. "I wonder if I'll ever get used to that," she muttered and took off the cloak she wore. She wasn't really a jacket person, cloaks were old-fashioned but she found them more comfortable. She glanced at the fireplace and lit it, then looked at him. "I have wine…I think. And…" she hesitated. She hadn't fed in a while and while the scent of blood was faint on him, she was hungry. But she was a bit nervous about drinking blood in front of him. "I also haven't..well.." she rubbed the back of her neck, unsure how to say the words. "Eaten…"

He sat on the couch, gracefully, his movements fluid then leaned back and watched her. "You don't have to be timid about it, you know. I drink blood too." He opened his mouth, and pointed at one of his elongated canines. "Do what you have to do. And wine sounds great." He winked at her.

She cocked her head to the side to eye him then crossed to the kitchen and pulled down a glass for him and a bag of blood from the fridge. She didn't really care if it was room temperature or not, actually it was easier when it wasn't. When it was warm, it made her want a vein, not a piece of plastic between her lips. "About that…" she drawled and looked around, finally coming up with a bottle of wine. Good old Dia, she thought and smiled. He knew her so well. She opened the bottle and poured his glass. "Is that a Dark-Hunter thing or a god thing?" She carried the bag and his glass over to the couch and handed him his, then sat, tucking her legs under her and angling her body to the side to face him.

He took the glass, sipping it then balancing it on his leg, his hand wrapped tightly around it.  
"It's actually more of an Artemis thing."

She lifted her arm and rested it on the top of the couch and propped her head on it and watched him a moment. She had a bunch of questions she still hadn't asked but each one was personal and she didn't wish to cause him any discomfort by posing them, so she kept them inside. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to…" she said softly and reached out to squeeze his knee with her hand then brought it back to her head. With her other she held the blood bag, drinking from it.

"No, no. It's fine. I just have to feed off her. She's the only source I can feed from, and if I don't then I'll go crazy and literally destroy the world."

The words came out like he was telling her the weather. He couldn't believe how casual he was being about it. He hated it, hated Artemis, hated that power over him she had. If only he could kill her, if only he could find a new blood source…He cut himself off knowing there was no point. It would never happen. He softened his grip on the cup realizing he was holding it extremely tightly. The last thing he needed was to break it and get glass all over.

As he spoke, she finished the blood bag and set it down on the coffee table and turned so that she was more laying back against him, hoping that by doing so, she could help him relax. He was tense when talking about the goddess, and it irritated her but there was little she could do. She fit herself into his side, leaning her head on his chest and rubbed her thumb over his free hand soothingly. "What if you fed from me?" she asked before she could really think about it.

He leaned forward, setting the glass on the table before he shattered it. When he leaned back he wrapped his arm protectively around her. At her question he caught himself glancing at her neck, suddenly he could hear the rush of stolen blood as it made its way through her ancient veins.  
He made himself look away, he studied the wine in his cup. He couldn't. She wasn't old enough, and her blood wasn't her own. Plus…she wasn't exactly a goddess.

"Oh, how I wish I could."

She frowned, but she really hadn't expected a different answer. It would figure that the bitch had given him no loopholes. She closed her eyes and exhaled through her nose, taking a moment to relax and not focus on the urge to rip the goddess apart for using him in such a manner. He didn't deserve it at all. How could anyone be so cruel to Acheron? It made absolutely no sense to her. "The offer stands, if you ever want to try," she informed him. She wondered if he understood exactly what she was saying to him. The hybrid who despised being seen as a lab rat, was perfectly willing to attempt to help him break his bond with Artemis, not even caring what the consequence would be to her in doing so. "Tell me of Atlantis?" she asked after a moment and craned her head to look up at him. Her fingers had moved from his leg to his stomach and were lazily tracing circles and figure eights into his shirt. "The good parts, I mean. I'm fascinated."

He smiled, exposing teeth and fang, something he usually didn't do. He raised his hand and pushed her hair behind her ear, caressing her face. His thumb slid back and forth across her cheek. Then he pulled his hand away, setting it on his thigh.

"Atlantis…well" he looked around the room again, at nothing in particular. "Do you want to know what it was really like, or what it was like from my perspective?"

She leaned into his touch on her cheek, her eyelids fluttering closed then open again to fix on his. "Hmm…" she squinted one eye shut and peeked at him and smiled. "Don't really care. I just want to hear about it and I love the sound of your voice," she flirted. "Whichever version will cause you the least amount of pain to tell, honestly," she admitted warmly. "I know you can't have happy and fuzzy memories of it, and the last thing I want is to upset you."

He rested his head, looking up at the ceiling. "It was dirty, filthy. Nothing like the amazing remodel pictures they try to make today. With the white washed buildings and wonderfully clothed people. What a load of crap." His mind wandered back to a time he normally tried to push from his memory. The pictures were vivid, like he was seeing them all over again. "Most of Atlantis was made up of peasants who rarely bathed and had to stalk the streets looking for coins. There were these things called stews, they were like your modern day strip joint, except your workers were paid in food and sometimes clothing."

He looked down then at her, memories of his uncle and the home he stayed in flashing across his mind. He quickly banished them and continued speaking. "Atlantis was a hole, and I'm perfectly fine with the fact my mother sank it. They were nasty, greedy people. But Greece wasn't much better. It was cleaner, there were less peasants. But to me they were all the same."

She listened silently, nodding a couple of times to indicate that she was listening. Her gaze was fixed on him, taking in each expression and shift of his eyes, the tone he used when he remembered. "I wish I could make you forget the horrors," she whispered softly and dropped her eyes to her lap.

He lifted her chin with his index finger so that he could look into her eyes. "The horrors I've seen don't matter, it's the here and now."

She smiled at him and leaned forward to catch his mouth in a soft kiss. "I like the here and now."

He returned her kiss, enjoying the feel of her lips on his. It was a sensation he would always remember, something that made him feel complete. Like the missing puzzle piece had been jammed into its appropriate spot. He pulled back. "I have to say, I do too."

She smiled into the kiss as well, feeling his whole body relax ever so slightly that if you blinked; you would miss it. Again she wanted to try something and slid her hand up his chest and into his hair. She didn't grip it, she didn't even tangle her fingers in the silky strands, she just let him get used to the feel of her hand being there and _not_ hurting him. He would learn that she meant it when she vowed not to harm him; she thought and pressed against him more. Her kiss grew more passionate, willing him to understand and feel what she did. He brought to life emotions in her that she wasn't even aware existed, and now that she knew of them, never wanted to be without.

He felt her hand slide up to rest in his hair. He faltered, slightly flinched, but didn't break away from her kiss. Instead he slid one hand around to the back of her neck, and the other rested on the small of her back. The kiss continued to grow hotter. It drove him wild. Her hand in his hair wasn't even bothering him. She wasn't pulling or snatching or throwing his head back. He kept full trust in her.

Their kissing grew more heated as they battled for dominance, tasting the other until she withdrew and exhaled a shaky breath, their faces inches apart. "See? I won't hurt you on purpose Acheron. Just by letting me do that, put my hand _here_," she nodded to it and gently twirled a strand of it around her fingers, "means you trusted me not to. Thank you for that," she added and kissed him again. "Tell me something good that's happened in your long life? There can't have been all bad."

Disappointment consumed him when she pulled away. It surprised him, his hunger for her. He licked his lips and looked into her eyes.

"I met you."

Her eyes widened in surprise at his comment and she blushed scarlet, darting her eyes away and bringing her hand up to her mouth to cover the grin. "Such a charmer," she whispered when she turned back and brushed her lips over his jaw lightly. "I'm very glad that we met, but that wasn't what I meant, silly." She chuckled and ghosted kisses along his neck and just below his ear, up to his temples and then back to his mouth before catching it in a kiss and smiling. She loved kissing him; it was an intoxicating feeling, a temptation she didn't even care enough to stop herself from giving into.

He smirked at her response, enjoying the feel of her lips on his skin. Before he realized what he was doing, he had grabbed her and pulled her onto his lap. He rubbed his hands up and down her arms.  
His lips mouthed to her ear. "But its true...nothing has ever been good." He trailed kisses down her jaw until they met her lips which he captured.

She squeaked when he grabbed her suddenly and found herself in his lap and her laughter died in her throat when he whispered in her ear and ran his hands along her arms. She shivered at the sensation and molded herself even closer to him, not minding one bit. "Nothing?" she breathed and it was a wonder she could even speak at all for all he was doing to her on the inside. She bit her lower lip softly and tilted her head to give him better access when he kissed her neck, closing her eyes. Before she knew it, she was kissing him again and she cradled his jaw with both of her hands. She had to be careful not to use too much of her strength, as well as maintain some sort of voice of reason, but the protests of how they still didn't know each other that well for the speed they were going were firmly silenced. Nothing mattered but his touch, or the fact that he even allowed her to touch him, taking his past into account. It was a miracle, and a gift.

"Absolutely nothing." He breathed on her lips, his eyes hooded. He trailed his hands down to her hips where he rubbed his thumbs with mild pressure. It was taking all his strength to refrain from taking her right there. He was aroused and wondered if she could feel it from her perch. He continued kissing her, slowly getting more heated.

Arsenic couldn't help but swallow nervously at the look in his eyes when he watched her. It was clear that conversation was now the furthest thing from his mind, and while it was silly of her to be so, she was hesitant about pushing the boundaries of what was developing between them. It had been too long since she let herself care about anyone. Since her heart was in any way, shape, or form affected. Now, again, he was changing that and it both thrilled and unsettled her. "Isn't this the least bit scary to you?" she whispered. "The fact that we've gotten so close in such a short time? After everything you've been through?" She cocked her head to the side slightly and caressed his cheek with her fingertips. "Why would you want to take a risk on loving if all its brought you is pain and slavery?" She didn't like asking the question, but she needed to know the answer. That she wasn't alone in her fear of falling off the edge with him and worrying that neither of them would be able to break the other's landing. She struggled to ignore his hands, but damned if it wasn't difficult. Everywhere he touched burned like liquid fire, and it was definitely a new feeling. Her questions were beginning to die down though, the more he kissed her, and her mind began to get even fuzzier to where she forgot what she'd even been fighting against so hard.

He leaned back, his grip on her waist loosening. He eyes were somewhat glazed in ecstasy, but he could see the hint of panic in hers.

"Of course this scares me.." He trailed off, looking past her, then down. "But for whatever reason I trust you, but I won't go any further if you don't want me to." He released his grip, sliding his hands through his hair.

"I didn't mean that exactly, I just…" she faltered and ducked her head with a sigh. Why couldn't she be more open with him, when he obviously had no problems with it? Of the two of them, he'd had the worst past, yet she was so afraid to trust in anything good anymore. "I _do_ want to go further," she went on quietly, still not meeting his gaze. "And I _do_ trust you. That's what makes me wary. I'm doing this all wrong," she groaned to herself and leaned into his chest. She gave herself a moment to really breathe, to sort out what she was feeling and what she was afraid of and why. She just needed to _think._ But that was damn near impossible with him around because he was always knocking her off balance and didn't even realize it. She lifted her head and grabbed the back of his with both hands, bringing him to her and pressed herself closer. Maybe she was fighting this too stubbornly, she wondered. Maybe that was the problem, not that she wasn't fighting at all. Maybe what she really needed was to just let go and trust in him that he would keep his word and take care of her heart. It was already half his and she knew that, _that_ right there was the real source of her worries. She was in too deep and drowning in him and the future he was offering that everything else was fading away.

He was confusing her, causing an internal war. His mind was all over the place. He couldn't exactly pin point what she wanted; for him to continue or for him to stop. He slowly wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into an embrace. "I don't know what you want me to do," he admitted sheepishly.

She pulled back and laughed a little, resting her forehead on his. "I'm sorry; I'm just trying to make sense of everything. I think too much and at first I was wondering if this is really such a smart thing to do since we're still sort of new around each other, but then I wondered, why am I so afraid? You haven't given me a reason not to trust you, and I'm used to there being a reason. You know what I mean, where you're just waiting for the other shoe to drop." She rubbed his bottom lip with her thumb, not tearing her gaze from them as she spoke. "I'm trying so hard to keep a level head and it's not easy to do that with you. Every instinct in me is just screaming to get closer, to lose myself in you, while the rational part of me is saying 'remember what happened last time?'" She sighed and raised her eyes to meet his. "If I'm not careful, I'll fall for you, and its…unsettling. I just want you to hold me, touch me, I don't care. Just don't let go," she said the last as a plea.

Her words sounded like his own, the same things he had said to Savitar, and Simi, and…Nick. How he couldn't be with anyone because he didn't know if he could trust them enough.

"I wouldn't ever do to you what's been done to me." He rubbed his nose against hers. "Nobody deserves that, especially not you."

"I know that, Acheron, it's why I would never do anything to add to your pain. I hate what you went through, and I know I've barely scratched the surface. But you never deserved any of it, and if I can give you some semblance of happiness, that's more than enough for me." She didn't know how she found the words to say what she wanted to him; he had a way of erasing them, of nullifying any doubts in her mind. But she meant everything she had the courage to say, and only hoped that it would continue to be so easy to do. Love had a way of complicating things, and she would hate it if things didn't work. He was becoming just as necessary as the need to breathe air when she was human, the need for some sort of companionship. "Truth be told, I'm just reluctant to let you walk away, no matter the outcome. We've both been on our own for too long, and being a god of fate, maybe this was supposed to happen. How, then, could it be such a bad thing?" She purred and kissed the tip of his nose and gently nipped it playfully.

"I'm glad you're thinking the same things I am." He smiled. He placed his hands back on her hips, resuming the rubbing, and began kissing her again.

"Thinking? What's that?" she murmured breathlessly against his lips as he began kissing her again. She hummed in pleasure as he rubbed her hips, arching a little into the touch. She nibbled his lips and at his tongue when it entered her mouth, but kept her fangs from puncturing skin. She had at least that much control, she prided herself. Although if he kept up with the caresses, even that would be shaky. She slid her hands from where they cradled his jaw to slip under his shirt, her fingertips brushing against his skin. She wanted contact, if at least that much. She wasn't sure exactly how far she was willing to go just yet but testing the waters couldn't hurt. Her kisses trailed from his mouth to his jaw again and she nuzzled at where his pulse would have been had he been alive with her nose. She was feeling particularly affectionate that day, and it was his own fault for encouraging her.

He pulled his hands back, lifting his shirt off and throwing it on the floor. He was accustomed to walking around without a top on. He slid his hands up the back of her shirt, rubbing them up and down her bare skin. He bit her lower lip, grazing his canines on it softly. Then he plunged his tongue back into her mouth, deepening the kiss. He used his hands to pull her body even closer to his.

Arsenic hissed in a breath when he shed his shirt and couldn't help but stare a little at him topless. She'd figured that he would have a good body but she never expected _that_. Her thoughts were washed away when his hands slid under her own shirt and she bit back a moan when his fingertips brushed a weak spot she had between her shoulder blades. What were the chances that he'd find it within seconds of getting physical? Apparently very good, she grumbled inwardly. She growled again when he bit her lip and she had to fight harder to keep control of herself. She couldn't afford to let go, not when she didn't trust herself just yet. Under normal circumstances she would rather die than hurt him, but as it was, she hadn't let anyone touch her in such a way in a very long time. She never had the patience for being wooed or romanced, not when it was far easier to just feed, sleep with someone, and kick him out or disappear herself. Emotional attachment had never been an issue, not until now, not until Acheron. She grazed her fingers over his sides; preferring feather light caresses to rough and heated at the moment. There would be time for that later...

He loved the feel of her hands, they were soft, and she lightly touched. It was the exact woman's touch he had always longed for. He played with the clasp of her bra, but didn't unfasten it. He wanted to tease her a bit. He trailed kisses from her mouth down to her collar bone. There he sucked gently at her skin.  
His right hand came around to her front, hovering over her stomach before moving up to cup her breast. His touch stayed gentle.

She gasped again and once his mouth released hers from the kiss, she bit down on her lip, struggling to keep hold of herself. He teased her by touching her bra but not undoing it and she dropped her head back to hold in a groan. Man was he testing her strength. Her mouth dropped open and one hand abandoned his chest to grasp the back of his neck when he started to attack her collarbone. Her other clenched, fighting the impulse to rake her nails over him. Once she'd regained her senses a little, she decided to tease him back and skimmed her fingertips over the waistband of his pants. "Tease me, I tease back," she muttered in his ear and licked then nipped it. He cupped one of her breasts and she almost lost it right then. She was so very close to saying to hell with the risk, to hell with restraint. Almost but not quite.

His arousal was beginning to hurt him. Today was the wrong day for him to wear leather pants. The teasing back and forth had his mouth watering for a taste of her. He moved his hands down to the hem of her shirt and lifted it up and off of her. He raised an eye brow at the black lace bra she wore, and then moved his hands to place them on her back once more. He traced his tongue down the line of her collar done to the top of her breast. Then he looked up at her. "Have I ever mentioned how stunningly beautiful you are?" He captured her mouth with his.

She blushed when he removed her shirt and closed her eyes, just enjoying the sensation of him touching her. At his question, she laughed a little against his mouth. "I believe you just did, sexy man beast. And believe me when I say it goes both ways." She gave a low purr of approval when he started kissing her again.


	10. Chapter 10

_**A/N: Chapter contains smut! You have been warned :) I only own Arsenic**_

Acheron had been with Artemis for days. He was sore, tired, and surprisingly cold. His eyes had a cast to them, and his skin kept turning from normal to blue like a candle flickering. He had to face it….he was in bad shape. And the damn woman had made him promise not to heal himself. Gods curse her…oh, that's right. He sarcastically laughed and rolled his eyes. Even though the pain consumed most of his thoughts, there was one woman he just couldn't get to leave his memory. _Arsenic_. He wanted to see her, badly. So that's exactly what he went to do. He popped himself right in front of the door to her place, and knocked, awaiting her.

Arsenic had been sitting on her window seat reading, music playing softly in the background; a curl of her hair wrapped around one finger. She had a habit of getting absorbed in books and forgetting everything else and it took a moment before she realized that someone had knocked at her door. She swung her gaze over to the clock and her brows furrowed curiously. She wasn't expecting anyone...Dia had business elsewhere so she'd been left to her own devices. She got up and crossed the room, and opened the door to find a surprising yet very welcome face. "Acheron..." she muttered and she stared at him with concern. Something was gravely wrong with him. She stepped toward him almost against her will and cradled his jaw, gazing into his eyes. "Are you alright?" she asked.

He stepped half a foot over the threshold, before almost collapsing on her. His skin flickered again, his nails elongating then retracting several times. Blood was leaking from his back down his pants, and somewhat into his boots. He steadied himself by grabbing her shoulder lightly. "Arsenic…" A smile tugged at the sides of his mouth.

Arsenic had to react quickly to catch him, to stop him from falling to the floor and her worry over his well being intensified. What had happened to him in his absence? She just knew it had to do with Artemis the second the scent of blood hit her nostrils and awakened the hunger in her but she firmly shoved it aside. She gently led him inside and to the bathroom, lowering him carefully to sit on the counter. He was bleeding heavily and her first thought was to clean him before he lost consciousness, but not before making sure he wouldn't right away. Questions would come later, at the moment she had more pressing matters to attend to.

She turned the tap on to the bath and turned her back to allow him some privacy. "We need to get you cleaned up...change and then let me know when you're done...unless you want me to stay.." She blushed as she offered but she was afraid of what would happen should she leave him alone. She couldn't even take a moment to consider the fact that he'd come to her in such a state, it was irrelevant at the moment. He was so out of it that he kept shifting into his god form, which only served to further alarm her. Her poor Acheron…she would wring the goddess' neck if they ever crossed paths, she vowed furiously.

He walked to the bathroom with her, allowing her to help him, his feet half dragging. He couldn't remember feeling this bad since he was human…well, in all honestly since his father had castrated him. A shiver went down his bloody spine at the thought. He quickly banished it. He leaned against the sink in the bathroom while Arsenic ran bath water. He was shaking terribly; he gripped the edge of the sink to steady himself. Even through the haze that covered most of his vision, he still couldn't help watching her as she moved. Gods, was she gorgeous.

Artemis had threatened to hurt her, and that's when he had seen red. The bitch couldn't stand the thought of him being happy with someone else. That had been when he had lashed out, and she had punished him. But Arsenic was so worth it, and he knew if he could get through tonight that he would be mostly healed by morning. He reached out, brushing her wrist with his fingers. "No, stay. Please? I can't get undressed by myself..." he admitted sheepishly.

She could feel his eyes on her and as always experienced the thrill it gave her, and the accompanying heat and nervousness. He unsettled her in his own way but she was slowly growing used to it. She was beyond glad that he'd chosen to come to her instead of collapsing somewhere. The thought of that almost made her sick to her stomach, just the image of him like this alone in some dark alley or corner, no one to care or even notice that he was suffering. She half expected him to brush off her offer to stay, sure that he wouldn't want her to see him like this, but he caught her wrist and implored her to and she couldn't deny him that one request.

She nodded silently and hesitantly drew his shirt over his head. Her movements were as cautious and as tender as she could possibly make them to spare him further pain and had to bite down hard on her tongue to stamp down the rage at the sight of his wounds. She also noticed a curious design on his chest and crouched to help him with his boots. He was in no condition to undress, he hadn't been wrong about that, and it made her feel foolish and silly to be so nervous at the prospect of seeing him unclothed.

He hissed in pain as the cloth of his shirt brushed against the slashes on his back. He helped the best he could, which wasn't much. He felt helpless, and that irritated him. That was one feeling he absolutely did not like. "I'm sorry…" He whispered to her as she was helping him out of his boots.

She winced a little when he hissed and felt so terrible for him, but knew better than to say or show it. How badly she wished that she could fix him up magically, but healing had never been a skill she bothered to learn. Why should she? She was near impossible to kill and wasn't in the habit of healing others, rather the opposite actually. At his muttered apology, she released his boot strings and raised her gaze to meet and hold his, confusion written all over her face. What in the world…surely he hadn't just…apologized? "Whatever for?" she asked, bewildered, before returning to her task of helping him with his clothing. Once his boots were removed, she glanced once over her shoulder to see that the tub was now full and turned the tabs off with her magic. She got to her feet again and couldn't seem to look him in the eye anymore. All that was left was his pants, and the knowledge of that made her redden.

"Uhm..." She cleared her suddenly dry and scratchy throat and tried again. "Your pants…" She struggled with herself not to look at his eyes, completely embarrassed at the situation. What was wrong with her? She'd been making out and topless with him not that long ago and had been with men before yet she was acting as if an innocent young virgin right then. She didn't know if she should take them off, or if he would stiffen if she tried. What if because of this he reacted negatively to her touch from now on? The question scared and saddened her.

"I'm sorry for burdening you with this." He gestured the best he could to his body. "You had no part in it; you shouldn't have to help clean the mess. I…I just had no one else to turn to," He admitted as she removed his other boot. When she stood up and asked about his pants, he couldn't help but almost laugh. He was glad she was hesitant though, he could see the caring in her eyes. "I have boxers on; you can leave them on if that will make you more comfortable…"

She made a small sound in her throat of disbelief. He was something else, her Acheron. He showed up bleeding on her doorstep and he had the presence of mind to apologize for it? And to imply that she didn't need to be the one to help him? Of course, she could understand why if she thought about it but still... "You're unbelievable," she muttered to him in a half scolding and light tone. She cradled his jaw to make him meet her gaze squarely. "You're not burdening me. You could never do that. I'm all for you just randomly showing up, albeit not like this of course, but in general. I don't care that I had no part in it. And I don't **have** to do anything. I choose to. I couldn't turn my back on you under normal circumstances, what makes you think I would just because you're not 100% yourself?"

She shook her head a little at him, and then leaned his head down to press a kiss to his brow. She cared for him so deeply, and he barely even knew. "I'm glad you came to me, even in this state. I'd much rather be the one to make sure you were alright than have you all alone with no one. You'll always have me, Acheron. That will never change." **She loved him**. It had snuck up on her without warning, but she accepted it for what it was. Because of that, there was nothing she wouldn't do to stay by his side for as long as he allowed her to. He nearly laughed at her discomfort and when he said he had boxers she took a deep breath and went to work on his pants. She had to keep her mind closed to avoid letting her desire for him get in the way, and focused on the task at hand. She could always clean and dry his clothes later. Even still with his boxers on, she had difficulty not blushing further as she drew the pants slowly off him. She didn't look up at him, she wasn't sure she could. She also kept her eyes closed, just letting her hands guide her. She felt completely ridiculous right then. The moment he was clad only in his boxers, she wrapped an arm gingerly around his to avoid jarring his back and led him toward the waiting bath. "Take it easy, it'll sting at first. I can adjust the temperature if need be, but we need to get these wounds cleaned and dried."

"I just felt like I could come to you, and I'm glad I did. No one else would have helped me like this." He smiled. "Thank you…so much." She continued undressing him, and as soon as her fingers grasped the button of his pants he had to make sure he had complete control of himself. Her hands glided down his legs as she helped him out of them, and he wished he were better. He had an uncontrollable desire to take her, to officially make her his. Hell, he would have even then, with the cuts and the bleeding, he didn't care. But he doubted she wanted him like that. He allowed her to help him into the tub, and he slowly eased himself into the water. At first it stung, and then it felt good. The water almost immediately turned red from the blood. "I feel like a child." He mused. "So, mom, will you help me wash off?" He grinned up at her.

She softened at his admission and smiled at him with genuine affection. She well knew how much it must have taken to come to her, to forgo one's own pride and instinct to lick your own wounds and accept the care of another. She was thankful it was her he trusted enough to go to. "I told you, love, I'm in it for life. And we've got plenty of that. My door is always open to you, so don't bother knocking. Just come in any time you need me, or even feel like you might." His gaze on her didn't let up when she undressed him and she wondered at his thoughts, on if he was disgusted or repulsed by her touch after Artemis' treatment of him. Were it her, she would never want anyone to touch her again. If she were in his place, she didn't think she'd have gone to him or allowed him to help. But he was stronger than her. She depended only on herself to get through anything, and if he had tried to help her, she'd have picked a fight or done something she regretted just to keep him at a distance. They were so different at times, it was baffling.

She observed as he entered the bath and raised her eyebrows to ask if the water was alright. At his joke and familiar grin, she tossed her head back and laughed at him. How he could have a sense of humor at a time like this was crazy and she shook her head at him before turning back. "Okay now you're abusing sarcasm," she scolded playfully and eased him into leaning forward. She reached for a washcloth and hesitated. "I can't take the pain away totally but I can ease it a little as I clean them," she told him and to demonstrate, she touched one welt and sent a cooling jolt of energy from her and into him. "It's about all I'm capable of as far as healing."

Her touch was soft, and the pain eased as she healed him the best she could. He could already feel his skin tightening around the cuts as he healed himself; he wished he could use his powers. It would be so much faster. "Why don't you get in with me?" He raised his eyebrows at her and winked. A million images of her without clothes raced through his mind. Oh, how he wished. He anticipated her answer, hoping it was yes, but wondering if he could control himself. Even after what Artemis had done, his desire for her was unwavering. It surprised him, yet drove him to want her even more.

She was tempted. Very much so. But she would have to decline his suggestion in the most delicate way as possible. There were several reasons why, and she had to think on how to say so without making him think she was rejecting him. He didn't need sex or anything of that sort just then, even if she wanted desperately to do exactly what he'd asked. "I would," she started as she gently moved the cloth over his back, using her magic to nullify the pain as she did so. "But I think it wouldn't be a good idea." She hurried to explain, lest he get the wrong impression. "Not because I don't want to, trust me, I do. But unless I miss my guess, you've always associated pain with pleasure, and right now you've been through hell because of...her." She didn't say the bitch's name aloud and even the mention of her made her growl.

"If I join you, then I'll forget all about fixing you up and get lost in kissing or touching you. I don't want that to happen. Right now you need something other than a hand groping you. And that's what I'll do. Clean you up, make sure you're semi-alright, and then once you're healed we can revisit the topic. But the time for it isn't now. I won't let myself be added to the list of people who can't keep their hormones in check around you. And I may be sadistic, but I get no pleasure out of seeing you with marks all over your back." She reached around him to grasp his chin and tilted his head back to look at her. She brushed a soft kiss over his mouth and smiled. "I won't take advantage of you until you're back to normal." She grinned then and rubbed her thumb over his jaw. "Once you are, you're all mine. I'm not saying no, just not yet."

He understood where she was coming from and her words meant everything to him. Only Ryssa had ever cared for him enough to clean him up after his beatings, who refused to attack him like everyone else. All he'd ever wanted was to mean something to someone, to not be just a whore that was bartered and sold; he could tell that she was sincere. No one had ever been able to keep their hands off him, even when he was like this, but she was doing her best to be different. But then again…he really wanted her. Her kiss drove him wild. Without really thinking about it, he healed his back in the blink of an eye. Artemis would kill him for it, but she would just have to get over it.

He pulled Arsenic into the tub, clothes and all, and laughed, pulling her in close. "I really don't know what I'm doing." He laughed again, kissing her.

Yelping as he tugged her into the water, she sputtered and stared at him. Well there went all of her carefully thought out replies and objections, she muttered to herself and sighed. "Was that really necessary, Acheron?" Now she would have to dry her outfit and she pushed her hair away from her face and over her shoulder, suddenly feeling awkward. She wasn't permitted the chance to argue with him because he was kissing her in the next instant and she reacted. He pulled her closer, and she draped her arms around his neck loosely. One hand skimmed over his collarbone and throat as his mouth claimed hers.

He pulled back, eyeing her carefully. His arms tightly wrapped around her waist. "What? Scared of a little water?" He mocked. He winked at her before moving his lips to her ear where he began kissing down her jaw, and onto her chest. Stopping at the top of the corset she wore, and nipping at her breast, he looked back up at her. "I'll stop if you want…" He loosened his grip on her.

Sticking her tongue out at him childishly, she didn't dignify his jibe with a reply and instead found herself inhaling sharply when he went for her ear and kissed along her jaw. She gritted her teeth and angled her head to give him better access and nearly moaned when the kisses trailed still lower. The sensation of his teeth on her flesh gave her goose bumps and she shivered both because of the cool air in the bathroom contrasted to the bathwater and the burning in her from where his mouth had traveled. When he looked up, she had to fight to think through the lust induced fog in her head to hear his question and felt his hold on her loosen. She had to take a moment to consider their situation. She'd have preferred their first time with each other to be in a bed instead of the tub but did she want him to stop? The answer to that was a resounding no. "If I wanted you to, I'd have said so..." she whispered quietly. "I'm still a bit uncertain because of all the things I said but if it's what you really want, I won't say no. I'm just trying to be considerate of your emotions and past and what you might be thinking."

He smiled at her consideration, his desire swelling for her even more, literally. He felt like he was going to burst out of his boxers at any moment. He pressed her closer to him, spreading her legs so she was straddling him. Then he pressed his mouth against hers yet again. He pulled at the ribbon holding the corset in place, unlacing it slowly. Each time he pulled the ribbon through it fell just a bit down her chest, until he had unlaced it to the point he could pull it over her head, which is exactly what he did. He then trailed his tongue from her lips down to her chest, where he began gently sucking her right breast.

When Acheron nudged her into straddling him and she felt him against her thigh, she nearly moaned but suppressed it by biting her tongue. Her attention was redirected when he continued kissing her again and she licked and nibbled his lower lip, grazing her fangs over it. His hands started undoing the bindings of her corset and she shivered again as more of her became exposed to him. If she were human, her heart would have broken through her chest with the force of its beating and she had to hiss in a breath when he drew it off and tossed it to the floor beside the tub, leaving her in her bra and jeans. Her control faltered when his mouth traveled once more down to her chest and she dug her nails into the sides of the tub hard enough to crack the porcelain.

Acheron licked his lips and unclasped her bra, letting it fall into the water. He couldn't contain himself anymore, the animal…the God inside him was leaking out and he needed her. Grabbing her tightly around the waist, he lifted them both out of the tub and walked into her room, leaving a watery trail behind. He licked and nipped at her neck until he made it to the bed where he set her down on her back and climbed on top of her. He bit her lip, then plunged his tongue back into her mouth. His left hand lifted to massage her breast and a groan erupted from deep in his throat at the feel of her skin.

Arsenic moaned when he bared her chest and had the instinctual reaction to cover herself but didn't. When he lifted them out of the tub, she wrapped her legs around his lean waist and almost gasped at the feel of his hardness against her when she did. He walked them both from the bathroom, him still in the boxers and she only clothed from the hips down and both leaving a wet trail on the floor. The carpet was the last thing on her mind however, as he brought her into her bedroom, giving soft whimpers while he teased her neck and laid her down. She arched up and against him when he got on top of her and growled low in her throat when he bit her lip then retook her mouth in a rough and passionate kiss. Every time his hands caressed her skin, she shivered and leaned into the touch more. He was driving her absolutely crazy and she wanted him more than she'd ever wanted anyone.

His body pressed down to meet hers as she arched her back. He raised his eyebrow at her, and then licked his lips. He trailed his fingers down her stomach, beads of water following, until he met the top of her pants. He began playing with the button on it, slowly undoing it and pulling the zipper down. His fingers slid into the top of her panties, but didn't go any further. He didn't touch her yet, not until she was one hundred percent sure she wanted this. He would never force her into anything she didn't want to do. He looked back up at her, his hair falling into his eyes. He quickly brushed it away, and tapped his fingers on the skin underneath her underwear. "Are you positive you want to do this? You know I'll stop, all you have to do is tell me to…" He looked up then back down at her, staring directly into her eyes. "I want you to be sure this is what you want..."

His touch was liquid fire inside her and made it very difficult for her to find her self-control or think even somewhat rationally. She was almost sorry that she didn't have a working heart, if only because it would have been nice to hear it race at the way he caressed her skin. But that would have meant that she was human, and she wasn't so it was useless thinking along such lines. He stopped once he'd undone her pants and she wanted to scream with frustration. He moved to look up at her and she down to see him just watching her, uncertainty in his eyes. At his question, she let out a bark of laughter and dropped her head back, tangling her hands in her hair. He wasn't serious, was he? But he was, and he was also waiting for a reply. "You can't honestly expect me to be able to give you an even halfway coherent answer at a time like this…Of course I want to do this…I've never wanted anything more. But I also wanted to prove to you that not everyone is the same and look how well that worked! If I want you to stop, I'll say so..."

He grinned at her response, and almost laughed along with her. He was being foolish, and he knew it. She wouldn't have let him do all the things he had already done if she didn't want him. But then again…she was a woman, no matter how undead she was. He slid his hand further into her pants and began rubbing her. Gently, and slowly. No matter his desires for her he wanted to take it slow, cherish the feel of her skin, the noises she made. He leaned back up to kiss her while he continued to rub at her, then slowly slid one finger in and back out repeatedly. His fangs had shot out against his own will, but he didn't think she would mind. They grazed her lips and tongue, and then nicked her tongue which began to bleed. He leaned back, blood dripping from the edge of her tongue and smeared on his lips. "Sorry…"

She bit her lip lightly when he grinned back, captivated by the sheer beauty of it but her thoughts were brought to a screeching halt when he started rubbing her again and she groaned and arched her hips into the touch. His slow pace was utter torture and it took nearly every ounce of patience she had not to flip them over and take him into her by force. She'd never had much patience with foreplay; it'd always seemed terribly overrated. Sex was physical gratification, and when added to the blood lust, the two were nice but taking her time or just laying back and doing nothing had never appealed to her. She wasn't dominant by nature, but when she decided that she wanted something, she didn't back down. The muscles in her stomach clenched as he slid a finger in her and she let out a choked gasp. She barely even noticed that he'd moved up while his hand worked wonders on her lower body until he was kissing her and she lost any hope of restraint when she felt his fangs. She felt only a brief flash of pain as he bit her and drew back but she simply licked it away and grabbed the back of his neck, dragging him closer and switched positions. She pinned him to the bed but not in a way that he would be uncomfortable with and her hair hung in a curtain around them. She leaned down and bypassed his mouth to kiss and gently bite at his throat. "It's perfectly fine," she purred into his ear and nipped the lobe.

He allowed her to pin him onto the bed, she was grinding against him and it was driving him mad. But if dominance was her thing in bed he wasn't going to argue. Her hair fell around them, and he winked at her. He licked her blood off his lips. He was so hard it hurt, and he knew she could feel it. The anticipation was going to be the death of him. He reached back down and shoved two fingers in quickly, then pulled them out, bringing them into his mouth and tasting her for the first time. He laughed outright, enjoying teasing her.

Arsenic stopped her kissing and biting when he licked at his lips. She was more ready for him to be in her than anything, but he seemed to be dead-set on tormenting her. She slid one of her hands down to grip him, rubbing with the heel of her hand against him and arched a brow. "I'm more than ready for you, Acheron. And foreplay has never been enjoyable, so stop teasing me..." She leaned down to graze her fangs against his chest, licking and biting at his flesh. Truthfully, if he continued then she would be craving more than just his erection, she'd crave his blood. If that happened she would have to put a stop to this, because she flat out refused to feed from him. Even in the midst of pleasure, she would just as soon bite herself than him. When he added another finger to the first, she let out a soft cry. She growled again as she watched him bring his fingers to his mouth and then laugh. "How do I taste?" she asked seductively and tossed her head a little to get her hair to fall over one bare shoulder instead of in their faces.

He lifted her up and pinned her back on the bed, then leaned back on his knees, sliding her pants and underwear down her legs. If she didn't want foreplay, fine. He was a God, a God taught well the art of sex and pleasure. After throwing her pants on the floor he slid his boxers off and threw them also. He spread her legs apart, but didn't plan on sliding into her just yet. He wanted to taste her fully first. He leaned between her legs, sliding his hand through his hair so it would get out of his face. He licked her thighs, and bit at them. Then, he began licking at her core, sliding his tongue in and out, and up the fullness of her clit. He knew she probably didn't want anymore, but due to his size he needed to make sure she was really ready for him. He licked and nipped at her clit, and then plunged two fingers back inside her. He moved them slowly, then began getting faster and faster, knowing well she would orgasm soon. Which was exactly what he needed.

Once again she found herself on her back on the bed and she scowled but it vanished when he unceremoniously and without delay finished undressing them. She watched him nudge her legs apart and was momentarily nervous but instead of entering like she expected, he knelt down to taste her and she moaned. She at first went to tangle her hands in his hair, but remembered his request not to so instead she gripped a handful of her sheets in each fist. Even in the throes of passion, she would keep her promise not to do anything to cause him pain or that he'd asked her not to. Her desire for him and for blood was roaring in her ears and she gave into it, biting down on the inside of her cheek as he licked at her. Her mouth filled with the crimson liquid but she couldn't even use that to focus. If anything, she wanted him even more. When he slid his fingers inside to add to the kisses and bites, she clenched around him as she reached her climax and she didn't even try to hold back the cry. She could swear that fireworks had exploded in her head but he still didn't stop in his teasing. "Please…" she whimpered softly but lost all ability to say more as her body started to come back down from the edge of ecstasy.

He felt her body quake under him and a small smile creeped across his face. He pulled his fingers out, and crawled the rest of the way up her body, until he was between her legs and his eyes met hers. But he still didn't enter her, knowing he was driving her over the edge. He smirked at her, a devilish tint covering his eyes. He slid his tongue between her lips and started to kiss her, but instead blood entered his mouth. He pulled back, looking down at her and realizing her correspondence with sex and blood. He pushed his hair back and exposed his neck to her. "Here, I don't mind." He smiled.

She thought for sure that he was done tormenting her but he wasn't. Now it changed very slightly when he tasted the blood that still remained in her mouth and her eyes widened at his offer and she stared at his neck and closed her eyes. "I can't…" She wanted to, more than he would ever understand. But her control over the bloodlust had never been very strong and if she accepted the offer, she was afraid that she would hurt him or not be able to stop. The fact that he was a god was only further temptation. His blood called to her, the raw power in it.

He saw the desire yet timidness in her eyes. "Yes you can. I won't let you weaken me; I have enough power to drive you back if you begin taking too much. Go ahead." He shoved his hair back again, awaiting her mouth. "Come on, babe." He smiled, leaning down so his neck was by her mouth. While he waited, he licked at her neck and grazed his fangs against her skin. He moved his hand back down her body and rubbed her clit.

"You don't understand…its hard enough keeping myself on the right path. I have to constantly keep myself in check, and if I think for even a second that I can't, I call Dia. Your blood…" she faltered and determinedly avoided looking at his neck. This was made even more difficult when he leaned it even closer and she whimpered. "I'm not someone you want to see when the cravings take over, and I don't want you to ever see that side. The humanity switches off and you're not going to be Acheron to me, you'll be nothing more than a willing vein, and I don't know if I can pull myself back from that." But oh how she wanted to give in, especially when he kept testing the limits by kissing her and teasing her neck. She moaned and arched against his hand, then let out a breathless laugh. "You're not being fair…"

He understood where she was coming from, but he was more experienced in the art, and knew that his blood wouldn't have that effect on her. "I'm a God, my blood isn't going to do that to you, I promise." He moved his hand over, grabbing himself and rubbing it against her core. He was ready to enter her, but he wanted her to do this first. "Just do it, trust me…"

She sighed but still held onto her stubbornness. "How can you be so sure? Blood is blood. If anything, yours will be more potent. That makes it all the more dangerous yet you're perfectly fine offering?" She squirmed with impatience and was already reconsidering her refusal. "Why are you pushing this? I would think that being fed on is something that would make you cringe. I do trust you. It's me that I do not trust. I made a promise and I intend to keep it, even if it means that I have to shed my own blood to do it. Better mine than yours."

He sighed at her stubbornness. "You're really not going to do it, are you?" He smiled. "I'm the God of death, which makes me partial demon. My blood won't do that to you, it would just increase your ecstasy." He rubbed his nose against hers. "I wouldn't mind you feeding off me." He rubbed his thumb over her nipple, enjoying the goose bumps that erupted on her skin. "But if you don't want to, that's fine, but the offer still stands." Without warning he leaned up and shoved his fullness inside her, all the way to the hilt and began thrusting. He groaned at her tightness, and pulled almost all the way out, then shoved himself all the way back in.

At his explanation, some of her reluctance ebbed away but she still did not want this encounter to be tainted by it. He might not understand, but as it was their first time together, she didn't want to look back on it and remember that she'd bitten him. It felt too much like a betrayal. Her strength and resolve was being tested, but she would win this time around. "Next time perhaps," she breathed and placed a kiss on the nape of his neck. "I just want to enjoy you without there being violence." She arched again when he teased her nipples and groaned. "I really wish you wouldn't tease me..." The rest of her sentence died in her head as he moved into her without any warning and she yelped in surprise then clutched his biceps and clasped her legs tighter around his waist. Nothing had ever felt so good, and she could only lay there and moan and shiver as he thrusted.

She felt even better than he had expected her to. He kept thrusting at the same pace, groaning in pure pleasure. He rubbed his thumb hard into her clit as he pushed himself deep inside her. He leaned in close to her ear. "Worth the wait?" He asked between exasperated breaths.

Arsenic arched her back and instinctively dug her nails into his arm before realizing what she was doing and eased up on her grip. The added pressure of his thumb on the very most sensitive part of her combined with his size was driving her absolutely crazy but she didn't care one bit. She was in sheer and utter bliss, lost to everything but their lovemaking. His breath tickled her ear when he whispered the question and she didn't even bother trying to answer, grabbing the back of his neck and catching his mouth in a heated and rough kiss. "More," she broke away for a split second to answer, "than worth it." She sucked on his tongue and lightly bit it, still being careful not to let her baser urges take over.

He pushed her hair away from her face, wanting to see her eyes. He plunged himself in harder than before. Then he decided to tease her some more. He leaned down to suck and bite on her nipple, while at the same time he pulled himself out of her. He shoved his fingers inside her, keeping up his previous pace. He looked up at her winking. "Oops?" He knew he could last as long as he wanted, so it wasn't hurting him at all, but her on the other hand… He loved seeing her squirm; he loved the craving she had for him. It was something he hadn't seen in many people. Only lust was usually found. He nicked her breast with his fang and a drop of blood came out, he licked it up, and pushed a third finger deep inside her.

She lost any and all composure when he altered his pace, her moans getting louder. Suddenly he had pulled out and she growled at the loss of contact, about ready to let the inner animal part of her show at what she thought of his teasing. Then he had the nerve to wink at her. He went back to teasing her breasts and bit one; drawing blood and she inhaled a sharp breath. When another finger joined the others she clenched around him as she climaxed again and cried out, her hips bucking with the force of it.

He smirked at her climax, loving the feel of her tightening around his fingers. He pulled them out and grabbed her legs, propping them on his shoulders. He then drove himself back into her and thrusted harder than he had before. His hair fell into his face, but he quickly brushed it away, and then held onto her legs to keep them in place.

Her bottom lip bitten between her teeth and her eyes closed, she seized a pillow nearby to hold onto but accidentally ripped it to shreds. Damn...She would have to buy another now… "I don't know how much more of this I can take," she whimpered softly as he drove even harder into her. Her whole body was shaking like a leaf and her mind was seriously blown. If she were to try getting up or do anything more than lay there, she didn't even know what would happen. She was enjoying every second and every thrust, but she'd been unprepared for this. She tightened around him, and could only hope that he finished soon so that she could return to some form of rational thought.

He thrusted harder, then released inside her, driving himself deeper. A growl erupted from deep in his throat. He let go of her legs and pulled himself out of her, he then collapsed next to her on the bed, breathing hard. He was sweaty, which was a feeling he didn't like. Before he could tire himself out completely, and before she could say anything, he got up. He walked into the bathroom and turned the shower head on, then walked back into the room, pulling her off the bed; he carried her back into the bathroom and placed her in the shower. He got in behind her and pulled her to him. Her back rubbed against his chest, and he smelt her hair. He reached his hand around and rubbed her clit in a massage-like manner, his only purpose being to make her feel good. He rested his forehead on her back.

She felt when he finally came and purred at the sensation, pleased. She was about to curl into his arms when he lay beside her but he was up before she could and she propped herself on her elbows, confused. She heard her shower turn on and he returned and picked her up and she squeaked and clung to him, still half sure that she would fall if she tried to stand. He set her in the shower and got in with her and she reached a hand back behind her to cradle the back of his neck, her thumb rubbing in slow circles. He started touching her again and she had to grip the arm that wrapped around her, her knees buckling. "Oh good lord," she moaned and dropped her head back on his shoulder. "I can't handle anymore of your caressing, Acheron. Unless you intend to make me truly incapable of standing for the next day and a half, you should stop. I've already hit my limit on the pleasure I can feel."

"What's wrong, vampire? Can't handle a God?" He laughed teasingly. He ignored her plea to stop, and instead lifted her leg and propped it against the edge of the tub. He spread her open with his fingers, and pushed a third finger back inside her. He slid it in completely and pulled it out completely again, repeating the motion several times. He was growing hard again, but ignored himself and focused his full attention on making her weak to the point of no return.

He was relentless...as well as completely evil. She didn't trust herself to speak and simply shook her head in answer to his taunt. No, she couldn't handle a God, but she'd never come across one or expected to until now. She growled low in her throat and her mouth fell open in a choked gasp as he maneuvered her and carried on with his touching. The action was driving her insane, and she wasn't sure which she wanted more, for him to stop or not to. The feel of his fingers filling her was overwhelming and she could only dig her nails into his arm, fighting to hold herself up. She felt his own body responding but couldn't focus past the pleasure he was giving her and could only moan helplessly.

He bit at her neck as he continued to thrust his fingers inside her. Finally, he decided to show a bit of mercy and he pulled his fingers out, letting her leg fall back into its original place. He leaned against the wall, allowing her to collapse back on him. He laughed. "Okay, I'll stop."

She groaned at his bites but kept firm hold of the vampire part of her that wanted nothing more than to shove him against the wall and sink her fangs into his throat. The demon/animal part of her wanted to be dominated, so both of her natures were warring with each other and his teasing was not helping whatsoever. He was wreaking holy havoc on her senses and it took all of her strength and willpower to keep herself from falling. Finally he stopped and withdrew the fingers from her center and she gasped at the loss of them. He leaned back on the wall and she against him and just took a moment to catch her bearings. She wrapped his arms around her waist and closed her eyes, content for the first time in centuries to be with someone else. She never allowed men anywhere beyond her bed and the front door. But Acheron was special, and she loved him. "That was…" she laughed when she could think of nothing to adequately describe the experience. "Unbelievable…"

He smiled, letting her wrap his arms around her. He rubbed his thumb against her stomach. He laughed outright at her explanation. "I'm glad you enjoyed it." In all honesty he was as tired and weak as her. He hadn't lain down after their sex like he should have. He was spent. He leaned forward and turned the shower head off, then began filling the tub. He allowed himself to slip down into the water, putting her in a sitting position in his lap. He wrapped his arms back around her, not bothering with opening the shower curtain.


	11. Chapter 11

_**A/N: All I own is Arsenic. Acheron belongs to the wonderful mind of Sherrilyn Kenyon**_

Arsenic smiled at his playfulness and surrendered to the peacefulness that came with being in his arms. Usually she firmly stuck to the belief that love was a weakness but she didn't care. She wouldn't give him up for anything or anyone, and would gladly spend the rest of her days making sure he knew it. She watched him turn off the shower and lower them down into the tub, still holding her close to him. She ran her fingers lightly through his hair and could feel the exhaustion coming from him. "Would you like to go and lay down? The bed's a lot more comfortable…" She was reminded of the state in which he'd appeared and had to forcefully push away the anger at the memory. "You must be so tired..."

He knew the smart thing would be to take her offer, he was exhausted, so he used his powers to turn off and drain the water. He didn't even want to move. Lucky him having powers to do things for him. He teleported them to her bed and clothed them both in satin pajamas. He wrapped one arm around her, and put his other under his head. "You know…tomorrow I'll have to un-heal myself…" He played with her hair, it was still damp.

She barely had a chance to blink before the bathwater was gone and squeezed her eyes shut when he used his powers to bring them back to her room. "No…I'll definitely never get used to that," she muttered under her breath as she found herself in pajamas that were not hers with his arm wrapped around her. She fit her own arm around his waist and laid her head on his chest but shifted to look up at him at his next comment and her peaceful mood vanished. She sat up and turned to him, confused. "Why?"

He laughed. "Sorry, I'm so used to that I forget you're not accustomed to teleporting. You'll eventually ignore it." He stared at the ceiling, knowing Artemis was probably watching him, and he knew he would pay dearly for sleeping with Arsenic, but he didn't care. "It was my punishment. I have to endure healing just as a human would, she'll probably do something else because I healed myself tonight, but I don't care, it was well worth it."

Arsenic fell silent and kept herself turned away. She was ashamed of herself. He'd come to her broken and bleeding and clearly against the rules and now he would not only be punished for that, but for what they'd just done. She'd just managed to make everything all the worse for him and hadn't even meant to. Now thanks to her being in his life, Artemis was sure to make his next beating that much worse. Why in the hell was he wasting his time with her if it only led him to more pain? She dropped her elbows on her knees and dropped her head into her palms and tried to get a hold of herself. "Punishment for what?" she questioned softly.

"For loving you," He whispered quietly. "Don't blame yourself though, she does this with everyone. My best friends, my mutual friends, she's jealous of everyone. She doesn't have enough about her to think she's worth anything, which she isn't, so she sees everyone and everything as a threat." He rubbed her back. "You threaten her, because she knows I love you more than I have ever loved or will love anyone else, including her. But don't worry about any of that, I've been dealing with it all for a really long time, and nothing she can do can hurt me more than it hurt the first time she did it. I'm just numb to it all now, it's like a chore. Go, get my punishment for something stupid, and leave to heal as a human would. Never-ending cycle."

She knew that his words were supposed to make her at ease, but it didn't work. She was up and off the bed in a flash, the urge to destroy something the only thing she could focus on. She grabbed the first thing her hand touched - a water glass on her bedside table - and hurled it at the wall, the shatter not even satisfying her one bit. "You shouldn't **have** to deal with it, Acheron! How can I not blame myself? Not when I know what the outcome will be each time you come to see me. She's a freaking Goddess and she treats you like…" She gritted her teeth, and then took a long and steadying breath to calm down. "You shouldn't even be here if it means you have to endure that. And right now I want so badly to tell you to get out, to spare you pain at my expense that you don't deserve to feel but I will not let that bitch win. It doesn't matter if it's been a long time for you to deal with it, it shouldn't be happening."

He stood up when she broke the glass, surprised by her anger. He had never seen anyone get so incredibly angry over the things Artemis did. Usually people were glad and said he deserved it. He stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her, leaning against the side of the bed. "There's no use in trying to fight it, trust me. It will only cause both of us pain."

She scoffed but didn't shrug off the embrace, or him. "Pain is hardly anything new to either of us. I just can't stand the thought that you're going to be hurt every time you see me. I don't want to be the cause of that…I'm not worth that…" She trailed off, her head hanging and tears streaming down her cheeks. She loved him and it simply wasn't fair that he would have to endure torture all because they felt something for each other. It wasn't right but there was nothing they could do, which she hated even more. She still wanted to rage and break things, but his hold on her prevented her from it.

He turned her around, brushing the tears off her cheeks. He hated seeing her cry, especially when he knew his curse had caused it. He pulled her into his lap. "Don't cry, please? It'll be okay, I promise." He smiled. "She can't do it forever; at least I don't think she can. She'll just have to get accustomed to you being around, because I'm not letting you go anywhere."

She clung to him and ignored the reaction that created in her. She never clung to people, or cried for them. The last person she'd cried for had been Leora, and to be doing so now was embarrassing, but she didn't care. She wrapped her arms around his neck and slowly calmed down, then chuckled darkly. "She'll either get used to me or I'll see just how much a hybrid can hurt a Goddess." She was 100% truthful right then. If the two ever came into contact, Arsenic had every intention of starting a fight with her. Probably a foolish thought, but at the moment, all she wanted was vengeance for all the pain and blood that she'd shed of Acheron's that had no right to be spilled. He'd been innocent of everything but loving the wrong person, and it killed her inside that he should have to go through something so horrible.

He rolled his eyes at her. "You can't fight the Fates, trust me. Don't even try; I don't want to see you get killed because of your fighting instincts." He kissed the top of her head.

"But…you know how stubborn I am." She grinned at him. "I can't help it. And you're definitely worth that risk."

He smiled down at her. "Just be good, leave your bad side for bed." He winked at her, laughing.

"Would that I could, but both are pretty untamable." She winked back at him playfully. "And being good is so boring."

He shrugged. "I can't necessarily disagree."

"Then don't disagree! Just admit that I'm right and you get a prize in the form of a kiss, Mr. sexy man beast!" She didn't know why, but she just loved reminding him of one of the first things he'd said to her.

He rolled his eyes. "Why admit it when I can just get a kiss now?" He dipped her down, pressing his lips against hers.

"Because I wanted you to admit it..." she pouted and giggled and kissed him back, pulling him even closer.


	12. Chapter 12

_**A/N: Contains some smut but not too much. Arsenic goes a bit dark side in this too. Acheron does not belong to me, I'm just borrowing him.**_

The evening had started out boring, just like all of the others except, unlike them; she wasn't the least bit interested in going to a bar and drinking until she couldn't think. She wasn't up for shifting forms either, so she did what always appealed to her after dark: walk. She enjoyed the cool air and the solitude as well as the freedom that came with her little strolls. While she wouldn't have minded company, she wasn't too concerned about it. You didn't live over 7 centuries without learning to tolerate silence. There was a certain kind of serenity to it, when it didn't feel so heavy. Damn her for having her humanity intact. What she wouldn't give to simply turn it off and leave it that way.

So consumed with her thoughts, she missed the stranger approaching her until he swung at her, silver glinting in his hand from a knife. She caught his wrist and crushed it, and he let out a gasp of pain and dropped the blade. "Now that was rude," she said in a calm tone, then pressed on his mind, getting a whiff of him at the same time. Hunter. How…wonderful. She grinned in a feral way at him and tossed him into a tree, sending him into unconsciousness. "You have no idea how much better you've made my night," she murmured as she crouched in front of his prone body.

With only a touch, they were at her apartment and she deposited the hunter on the floor. She hated hunters with a passion, and he'd had the audacity to challenge her. No matter, she was used to that by now, even welcomed it. The last one she'd toyed with had been a good few centuries ago, so she was past due for another, she figured. She bound him to a chair securely and went back to her kitchen to wait until her guest roused. She'd have a lot of fun with him before putting him out of his misery, and forgot all about the promise she'd made not to go back to being a ripper. For now, the neutral vampire was gone and the killer in her was back...and nothing or anyone would be able to stop her from seeking vengeance.

Acheron had just got back into town after having to go to Seattle over some Dark-Hunter/Daimon business. He was worn out, and Artemis hadn't helped by calling him back every few seconds. One day he would kill her, when that day was he didn't know though. Until then he was forced to go between helping his fellow Hunters protect the human race, and fend off Daimons, and being Artemis' blow up doll.

He was excited to be back in town though, for the first time he actually had butterflies in his stomach. He couldn't remember the last time that had happened, if it ever had. He was finally able to see Arsenic, after weeks of being away from her. His desires and needs for her were at the foremost of his mind. He couldn't wait to wrap his arms around her and not let go for days on end. He had it all planned out in his head. They would just stay in bed, maybe he would even take her to his palace…she could listen to his mother.

He had decided to walk to her place, the night was cool and the sky had already darkened all the way. He was passing a section of sidewalk when he got a whiff of Arsenic, but not the comforting and sweet Arsenic. This was more…hatred filled. His powers immediately went on high alert. He flashed himself to her house, standing outside her door, he knocked. He tapped his foot in anticipation. Something was wrong, terribly wrong. He could feel it in his bones, and it concerned him. The longer he waited the more his panic rose.

Arsenic glanced up from the knife she was idly twirling in her hand at the knock and her head tilted to the side slightly. Now just who could that be? She reached out with her senses and immediately recognized Acheron's scent and grinned very slowly. She'd missed him, well the normal Arsenic had anyway, but that vampire was being firmly silenced at the moment.

She plunged the knife down and into the hunter's leg and used her powers to make him mute so that his scream wouldn't be heard. "I'll be right back, sweetheart. Don't do something as foolish as try to escape now, you hear?" At his hate-filled glare, she simply laughed and kissed him full on the mouth; biting his lip harshly and making it bleed. "Watch the stares, I might get turned on." Winking at her bound captive, she stopped at her mirror then adjusted her clothes, making sure she looked completely normal. It wouldn't do for Acheron to spoil her fun, not when it had been so long since she'd had any.

She pulled open the door and leaned on the frame casually, a seductive grin gracing her lips. She didn't move so he could enter, just smiled and blocked the doorway. "Acheron…good to see you, dear. I'm afraid your timing is rather poor, for I've got a guest you see. Old friend came into town and wanted to catch up, you know how it is. Maybe you could come back later?" She tried to keep the warning out of her tone, that he shouldn't call her on the lie but had a feeling that he wouldn't listen.

Arsenic opened the door, and he immediately saw the bloodlust in her eyes. This definitely was not the Arsenic he had grown used to, but instead an animal. She was in her complete savage form. Now the only question was; what triggered it? He half listened to her poor excuse for him to leave, not really caring what lies she was coming up with. Then the smell hit him…blood, human blood, mixed with fear and sweat. She was torturing someone. He used his powers to listen to the human; he was a hunter - no wonder.

He looked back at her, a mix of emotions ripping their way through his body. He swore he would never interfere with her feeding, or her desires. But…he also swore to a much higher power that he would protect the human race. An internal war started between keeping his promise to his most cherished person, and keeping his promise to the higher Gods. The Gods won out. She would just have to get over it.

He pushed her aside, not bothering with saying anything to her. As he stepped over the threshold his skin turned blue and his God form took over. The human was tied to a chair with a knife sticking out of his leg; blood seeped from the wound and puddled on the floor. Acheron walked over to him, yanking the knife out as quickly as he could. He tore off a piece of his trench coat and wrapped it around the man's leg. Then turned to Arsenic, he talked smoothly, keeping his cool. "Babe, you can't do this."

Her eyes narrowed when she could tell that he wasn't listening and she spotted the moment that he realized that she wasn't her usual loving self. Not that it mattered, now she didn't have to pretend, which was perfectly fine. She could almost see the emotions conflicting within him on what to do and only arched a brow in amusement. Poor Acheron, so torn between his love for her humanity-having self and the human race that had done absolutely nothing but rip his soul to shreds. When he went past her, she rolled her eyes but allowed it. She'd known that he wouldn't let it go so easily, but she'd hoped at the very least.

As he went, he changed form and she watched from a relaxed pose against the wall as he approached her new plaything and she growled when he pulled the knife out. "What do you think you're doing? He's mine to play with, not for you to let go." At his comment she giggled, biting into her knuckle. "And why can't I? He asked for it." She nodded her head at the hunter and with one lash of energy, a large gaping slash appeared on the man's chest as if he'd been clawed viciously. This time he did scream, and the sound was music to her ears. "He attacked me when I was minding my own business; he deserves what he gets for that alone. I don't **like** hunters, Acheron. You know that and you know perfectly well why." She stalked over to him and shoved him away from the hunter furiously, her lips bared in a snarl. "You shouldn't be here. **Go home**."

He rolled his eyes at her, and crossed his arms when she slashed open the Hunter without even touching him. He carelessly healed him then teleported the Hunter away from them. The room was empty, but charged with a feel of hatred coming from her. When she told him to go home it stung him a bit, but he knew this wasn't really her. This was just her hunger speaking.

He decided to play her card back on her. She had told him once that sex and bloodlust were all the same to her. Well, two could play this game. He stalked towards her, circling her until he was right behind her. He tucked her hair behind her ear, and leaned down to whisper in it. "What's wrong, babe? Did I ruin all your fun?" He smirked, grazing his elongated nails against her skin.

"Okay, now you're getting on my nerves," she muttered when he'd not only healed the human but sent him away. "I'll just find him again later and finish what I started." And she would too, but not before dealing with the pain in the ass in front of her. She never showed hunters any mercy, for they had shown none to her. She tortured them and reveled in it. She'd wait until Acheron believed her to be repentant and then go after the hunter again, only she'd kill him this time so that the Atlantean wouldn't get a chance to stop her. She fantasized about ripping the hunter's heart out, or going after his family. She loved the thrill of the chase, the fact that she could cause so much suffering and still not bat an eyelash.

Her eyes followed him as he prowled around her, but only a bored expression was on her face. If he thought that he could get through to her in this state, he was gravely mistaken. She turned her head a little when he brushed her hair aside and she laughed at the question. "I'm not your babe; let's get that straight right now." She reached a hand back and grabbed at his hair, knowing that he hated it. He wanted to be around her like this, fine. But she would be sure that he was well aware that his Arsenic and the Arsenic in control right now weren't the same. She didn't give a damn about a promise not to hurt him, or that her other half loved him. All that mattered was that he'd gotten in the way of her and her prey.

"You ruined my fun, but I'm perfectly willing to let you make up for it." She spun quickly and had him against the wall by the throat, her grip on his neck unyielding. He didn't need to breathe anyway. "Later." She leaned in as if to kiss him but went past his mouth to where his jugular was. "I'm not the girl you love, or want to be anywhere near. I care about nothing and no one. So I'll tell you again, Acheron…**Leave**." She released him and went back to where the chair sat and sighed, then tossed the abandoned knife at the wall. Now she was hungry and annoyed, and if the god was smart, he'd heed her advice.

He rolled his eyes, not caring about anything she said, even when she pinned him against the wall. He would just keep up the sexual tension, not listening to her warnings. So she'll probably bite him, so what? He had wanted her to during their sex. He pushed her against the wall, his blue skin rippling. He moved his hand between her legs, teasingly rubbing her core.

"You don't scare me. I've dealt with things way bigger and nastier." He leaned closer to her until their noses were touching. "You're just way too damn attractive when you're like this." He winked, still rubbing at her. He leaned into her neck, letting his fangs puncture her slightly; a thin line of blood ran from the wound. He licked at it.

She grunted when he pinned her to the wall and glared at him, the hatred from being restrained coming to the forefront. "You're seriously testing my patience," she hissed. "I don't want you here. Get lost. If sex and blood is what you want, go see Artemis. I'm sure she's just jumping at the chance to accommodate you. Don't waste my time with your silly little emotions and hormones." She ignored his hand rubbing at her, letting out a yawn. "Please...you really think that it's that easy to get in my pants again? You don't deserve that honor, and you should be scared. I've told you before: I'm a monster. And right now? I like it." One hand found its way back into his hair and this time she jerked his head to the side, her nails digging into his scalp. "You have major issues if this turns you on," she whispered and trailed her tongue over where his pulse would have been. She wanted to bite him, but that would mean that he was actually affecting her, and she wasn't willing to let him know that.

He laughed at her hair pulling, he slowly lifted an arm, grabbing her wrist and pinning it on the wall above her. "I'm used to Artemis, babe, this isn't affecting me at all." He shoved his hand into her pants, rubbing her once more. "But judging on how moist you are, I would say I'm affecting you. Even though you won't admit it." He shoved a finger inside her. "If you're so bad…then do something about it. Until then, you're just dark and attractive to me." He normally would never do anything like this, and he knew it, but like her transition, his God form had a way of making him testy. If he couldn't bring her out of this, he might as well enjoy playing around with this side of her.

The hybrid chuckled softly and shook her head; amused at his reply and that he wasn't going anywhere. "And here I thought you'd be trying to talk sense into me...make me feel guilt for torturing and flipping the switch." She dug her nails into the hand that held hers to the wall and bit down on her lip when he continued touching her. "Maybe I got turned on by making the hunter scream," she purred and it wasn't a complete lie, or the full truth. His blood and his refusal to back down were incredibly tempting and she wanted him.

"Why should I do anything? You're the one who can't get enough of me, even like this." He was a fool to think that she was capable of caring or stopping herself from the path she was on anyway. Yet the humanity part of her was raging inside, not wanting any of this to happen. That side of her wanted him to change her mind, to pull her back, but she was done listening and giving in to weakness.

He shoved another finger into her rather roughly. If she was going to act like an animal, then he would treat her like one. "I know this isn't you, that you aren't actually like this, and my Arsenic is down in there screaming to get out. But I won't make you feel bad for retaliating. Hunters did bad things to you, and I know that. I also know that man started all this and I figure well…if you're going to act like a raging animal...why not use that until you come out of this?" He shoved a third finger into her.

"I'm not going to show mercy to you, but I'm also not going to punish you, and you know I won't." He licked her lips. "I know the good side of you is in there somewhere, just waiting for this side to die out." He began thrusting his fingers inside her. "You thrive off pain like this. I know how that is all too well." His eyes flashed red.

She gasped and arched against his hand, her desire for him overpowering the blood-lust. "See, that's where you're wrong. This is me in my purest form. No humanity, no pesky emotions like love and compassion. I'm a ripper, and I'm not going anywhere, never really have. It's just the first time in centuries that I don't have to wear a muzzle." Arsenic licked her lips and brushed a kiss over his throat and along his jaw. "Your Arsenic is weak, forever tormented by memories of a family that she's better off without. By the desire to find love and acceptance, to do good to balance the scales. I have news for both of you: They'll never be even. Nothing either of you do will ever take away from the fact that you're the whores of fate. But then again...you're used to being a whore, are you not?"

She grinned, completely unashamed of the cruelty in her tone and words. Maybe if she reminded him enough times of where he'd come from, he'd leave and she would never have to turn back into the abomination with a conscience. "On that note...what makes you think I'll come out of it at all?" She leveled a challenging smirk at him. "Maybe I'll just stay this way from now on, I miss it. Nothing tastes as sweet as pain, except perhaps fear. You think that you can take me, bring it on."

He laughed. "Do you really think you're hurting me with your words? I've been called a whore more times than I can count. I've dealt with things that literally killed me." He pulled his fingers out, licking them, then put his hand in her shirt and unclasped her bra. "You're really just the same Arsenic; you have a sort of split personality disorder." He ripped open her shirt, and trailed his claw down her breasts. "But how can I claim I love you, then not accept you at your worst?"

He rubbed his thumb over her nipple, watching as goose bumps erupted over her skin. "You're no different, just a little more savage. I love you at your best, and I love you at your worst." He pulled the ripped shirt and bra off her, letting them fall at her feet. "And yes, to answer your previous question, this definitely turns me on." He winked at her.

"Hurt you? Now why would I want to do that with words when it's so much more fun to do it in other ways?" At that she dragged his head to the side and bit into him, not at all gently. His blood was stronger and more decadent than she'd dared to imagine, filled with raw power and she felt drunk from just a taste. Her nails raked over his chest, drawing more blood and she abandoned his neck to kiss and lick the fresh wounds. She followed the line of his veins and bit into him repeatedly, but not for very long.

Things between them were beginning to get even more heated when he ripped her shirt and she didn't pay any attention to what he had to say. His speeches were boring her and all she was interested in was his body and just how exquisite it would feel inside hers once more. "Mm...I think our perception of which side of me is better and which worse differs, darling. I don't give a crap if you love me like this or not, I don't need your approval, nor your intervention or forgiveness. If I wanted that, I'd go bug Diablos. Although you and me in a panic room…that I wouldn't mind. Especially if it's sound-proofed." She also ignored his answer that it turned him on. That was obvious; she smirked at the very noticeable bulge in his pants. She rubbed her palm over it and gripped him, then let go. "I think I can tell that for myself, thanks."

Her bite didn't bother him in the least, he was covered in blood. After she grabbed him he ripped her pants completely off, leaving her completely exposed in front of him. He sank to his knees, and raked a bloody hand through his hair. He lifted her leg and threw it over his shoulder. "If my words aren't affecting you in any way then why do you continue to argue, babe? If there's no love or connection here, then let me show you what I was trained to do."

He shoved his tongue inside her, swirling it around, and then moved up to lick her clit. He sucked and bit at it, then slid three fingers back inside her. As he slid his fingers in and out he bit her inner thigh, and began drawing her blood out and into his mouth savagely. He pulled back, blood dripping out of the sides of his mouth and down her leg. "Come on, babe, purr for me." He winked up at her before continuing to lick and nip at her clit while he harshly fingered her.

Arsenic growled with approval when he made quick work of her pants, her emerald eyes lighting up with amusement. Now_ this_ was the Acheron she wanted, the rough and forceful one, not the sweet and loving. When she had her humanity on, she'd have gotten a thrill out of the way he was reacting, but also would have felt horrible for the cruel words she'd spoken. She watched him drop to his knees and lifted her leg behind him, throwing back her head with a low moan at his actions. Even in her darkest moments, he still managed to make her squirm in all the right ways.

"I argue because I don't let anyone have the last word, even a god of death and destruction." Her hands tangled in his hair and she kept her grip firm, not allowing him any mercy. He was the one to push this line of inquiry, to stay and tempt her. In payment for that, she wouldn't show him any kindness for it. She had warned him twice, and he had neglected to listen. She bit back a cry when his tongue darted out to taste her and his fingers found their way inside. She wouldn't even let him have that small victory. It would take a hell of a lot more than oral and foreplay to make her beg.

Her fangs punctured her bottom lip when he bit into her thigh, leaving a trail of blood dripping from the wound that he lazily cleaned up with his tongue. At his request and wink, she laughed. "I've been a wolf for the last three centuries, dearest. I don't purr, but you're welcome to try to make me howl." She grinned back at him, arching her hips each time his fingers went in and out. He'd been very well trained, but of course it made sense, due to his history as a sex slave.

He loved the thrust of her hips, the feel of her as his fingers went in and out of her body. He licked at a few drops of blood on her leg. After her howling comment he stood up and pushed his pants off. "Fine, I'll make you howl." He winked, and without warning shoved himself completely in her. His feelings had all but vanished as he thrusted into her body. This was what he was made to do, make people feel good, even if he didn't.

His uncle had been right all along, he would never escape it. Not even from the one woman he loved more than anything, because when she was like this? This is how it would be. But he would never leave her side, even if it meant dealing with the abuse from the person who promised to never show it. He knew this was a side she couldn't control, that escaped without her meaning to. He understood all too well. And for her, he would return to his sex slave stance any day.

He would even tolerate the hair pulling without hissing in pain or agony at the memories it flooded back. Not only memories of all his partners who had abused him and paid his uncle, but also the disappointment in his father's eyes, and the fear in his sister's. For Arsenic, he would allow it all to come back. He kept thrusting into her, but he wasn't really into the motion. He was far off, distant, he was reliving Atlantis.

Almost as soon as he'd entered her, her sanity started to come back but the ripper in her was stubborn and she felt as if she was splitting in two. Both parts of her nature were fighting for control and she realized that Acheron was inside her and she cried out and grabbed her head as the switch flipped. She threw him off of her and into the wall as she ran into the other room. Locking the door behind her and erecting a barrier with her magic, she sank to the floor. She knew that the door wouldn't keep him out with his god powers but she didn't even care.

She looked down at her thighs and saw the blood and keened softly, bringing her knees close to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. Oh hell, what had she done? Had she killed? Hurt someone? What was Acheron doing there and having sex with her? Her head spun with questions and she groaned, trying to make them stop. She couldn't do this…she couldn't handle the guilt. It had been like she was trapped in a cage in her own mind; listening to herself saying words to the man she loved with no regard to the way he would react. She'd not only broken her promise not to harm him, but to not be like everyone else and she'd failed him terribly.

She manifested one of her daggers into her palm and dug it deep into her leg, dragging it down slowly. She needed the pain to focus on, the blood to pull her back from the edge of madness. Maybe if she kept trying, she would find some way that she hadn't thought of to end her miserable existence. She forgot about Acheron being in the other room, probably wondering what had just happened, and kept up with her form of punishment until she couldn't feel anything but the numbness and the blade clattered to the floor. Arsenic didn't even have to wonder what had been the breaking point, she already knew. She'd forced him to relive his worst nightmares and become a whore again and she was beyond shamed. He would surely hate her for this, as well he should. Why, **why**, _why_ hadn't he listened?

He fell backwards when she pushed him and ran away into the next room, and then felt the magic barrier almost as soon as she threw it up. He smiled realizing**his** Arsenic was back. He looked down, realizing his pants were at his ankles, he pulled them back up, buttoning them and walked towards the other room she'd fled into. He pressed an ear against the wood of the door, listening to her cry and his brow furrowed.

He smelt blood as she hurt herself, which was when he opened the door. He healed her as soon as he saw the slashes on her leg and knelt next to her on the floor, rubbing her arm soothingly. "Babe?" He wanted to comfort her, but knew there was no way he could. "Babe, don't cry, please don't cry."

While she knew he'd come in and healed her, she didn't bother looking up. She was too lost in her thoughts and memories and agony to care that he'd followed her and was now dressed while she was bare. She jerked her arm away from him when he tried to comfort her and used her powers to knock him back again. She couldn't deal with him being so close, not after all she'd done and said. She knew she wasn't being fair to him but it meant little. There was nothing he could do to help her, and nothing he could say would repair the damage she'd done.

She'd turned back into the monster she'd spent over a century being and just like when she'd been detoxing in Diablos' panic room, all of the faces of her victims returned to her. She remembered the ones she'd preyed upon, the hunter's wife - whom she'd hacked off the limbs and organs of, leaving them for her husband as part of a sick and twisted game. The vampire in her was proud of each of the kills, every second spent making people suffer. But the once half human part of her couldn't come to terms with any of it.

She gripped her hair with her hands and retreated even further into herself, hoping that he would just go and leave her alone. She would be in the end; always. Abominations weren't meant to love, weren't supposed to know peace. And despite what he believed, she was one of the worst. "**Get out...**" she hissed at him in barely above a whisper. Tears fell freely down her cheeks but she barely noticed. She didn't even feel relief or anger at him for healing her. Something had broken inside of her that couldn't be fixed.

He fell backwards when she pushed him and hurt his back, which was now slicing open as he unhealed himself. He used his powers to clothe her, then retreated to the corner. He sat watching her, his chin resting in his palm. She was internally fighting with herself, and although she had told him to get out, he didn't move. He didn't say a word, didn't even breathe. Nothing he could say or do would make her feel better and he knew it. This was something she would have to deal with by herself.

He sighed, getting up and returning to the living room. He took the chair she had tied the Hunter to and placed it back in the kitchen, then sat on the couch and leaned his head back against the cushions. He closed his eyes and waited for her to heal her own wounds, while he was resurrecting his. They stung and started bleeding, already soaking his shirt, but he ignored them. Already he could hear Artemis hissing in his ear, but he blocked her out the best he could, keeping the majority of his powers focused on Arsenic in the other room.

Her thoughts were like a jail cell. The more time she spent in them, the smaller the space seemed to be. The more she traveled through the thoughts, the more familiar they seemed. She could find a new detail each time around that she'd missed, that she was glad she'd missed. She'd caught the scent of his blood when he hurt his back but even that couldn't tear her from the images in her head. He thankfully kept his distance though, instead sitting quietly and watching her. She half expected him to try talking to her but he didn't. Did she even want him to try?

She didn't need to look over to see if he was gone, and she didn't care if he had ignored her and stayed. All she wanted was to sit and not feel any more. To not have to think about the million hollow spaces between what was, what could be, and what might have been if she hadn't been born a hybrid and then turned vampire. But it was all she'd ever known and it was how she knew that her humanity was again intact. Part of her wanted to reach out to stop him when he got up to leave but she couldn't make herself move, so she stayed exactly as she was. She didn't even know how long either; it could have been hours or minutes.

Somewhere in the midst of her hellish despair, she realized that she hadn't actually had any regular food and glanced down at herself to find that he'd clothed her and she hadn't even noticed. She hugged her sides and slowly got to her feet, her head bowed and her hair hiding most of her face as she made her way back out and into the main part of her flat. It seemed that Acheron had chosen to linger after all, she mused when her gaze landed on him very briefly before walking past him and into the kitchen. She started to prepare something to eat, not really sure what she should do or say. He was so damn stubborn…even after she'd hurt him terribly, he wouldn't leave.

Once the food was ready, she poured two glasses of wine and carried it all to the couch where he sat, placing his on the table in front of him. She took the opposite end of the couch and ate her sandwich, her gaze drifting everywhere but him. She should apologize, she knew that, but the sheer amount of things to say she was sorry for was so daunting that she couldn't. She could only wait and hope he spoke first.

He sat on the couch for hours, it had grown dark, yet he still waited. He could hear the floor creak just a bit as she rocked slightly back and forth, yet he still made no move to go see if she was okay. She needed space, and that he could understand. So he sat unmoving on the couch, trying not to hiss in pain at his burning back, and waiting for her to recover.

When she opened the door and walked out of the room his eyes shot open, yet he still made no move to get up and follow her or talk to her. She didn't even glance at him as she made her way into the kitchen and started preparing food. His stomach grumbled in protest, but he just couldn't bring himself to get up. Finally, she came back into the room and set food down in front of him, but she kept her distance, sitting on the opposite side of the couch. He sat forward, grabbing the food and began eating. He would glance at her every now and then, but didn't make any remarks.

What could he say? Yes, she had hurt him, but he knew that was a side of herself that she couldn't help, and he had already forgiven her for it. He forgave everything she said as it left her lips, but did she know that? He couldn't stand the silence anymore; he leaned forward placing the remaining food on the table and leaned back. He looked over to her; she looked terrible, like she had been fighting mutants for the past few hours. "So…are you going to talk about it?"

At the sound of his voice she winced reflexively at the question and wished that he hadn't asked. He couldn't have said something else…**anything** else? No, of course not; it wasn't like him to beat around the bush. She put her plate back on the table, her sandwich half finished but her appetite completely gone. She ran a hand through her hair and contemplated exactly what she could or should say. He obviously wanted to know, but what could she tell him exactly? While she thought, she twirled the wine around in her glass, the dark red color reminding her of the crimson liquid she usually drank.

"What do you want me to say?" she asked in a detached tone. She was too raw at the moment from the onslaught of past memories and past deeds, accompanied with that night's. She was glad for the first time that the hunter hadn't been her captive long, but she would have to find and compel him or something. If word got out…She cursed under her breath and pinched her eyes closed, rubbing the bridge of her nose.

Man she'd made a royal mess of things…Diablos would be furious with her for losing control and slipping back into old habits. She promptly decided to put off on making that particular phone call for much later. She wasn't up for one of his lectures, or his threats to lock her up again. She despised being restrained; it brought back memories of her human life. "I could tell you what happened or why I freaked or hell even how I managed to break through but some of it's a blur while the rest is in surround sound. I wouldn't even know where to start." She turned to him, her jaw taut and her gaze a little colder than she'd have preferred. "Why are you still here?"

He leaned back, resting his head on the couch once more and closing his eyes. He could tell she really didn't want to talk, even though she asked him why he was still there. He didn't respond, only let out a long sigh, and folded his arms in front of him; he actually started to drift off into sleep, but caught himself. His back hurt, his mind hurt, and well, he hurt…..down **there** because she hadn't given him a chance to finish earlier. Although he didn't much care about that last part. The bottom line being, he needed rest. And so did she. He yawned, and kicked the plate over on the table without opening his eyes, propped his feet on the table and slouched back even farther.

Arsenic sighed and watched as he laid his head back and seemed about to fall asleep and she shook her head. "If you're tired, you can sleep. I have to go out anyway. It's up to you." She tossed the wine back and gathered their discarded dishes and stepped over his propped up legs. She set them in the sink and grabbed a hair band to pull the raven locks back and off her neck and went back into her room to change. She appreciated the clothes he'd garbed her with but they weren't her own and she had limited time before the hunter either tried to come after her or went for the authorities.

It occurred to her that Acheron might be considered an accomplice and groaned when she realized that she had to stop at the police office as well. Terrific…Not only had she royally screwed things up between them, but she'd also jeopardized him and his Dark-Hunter's cover and safety. If hunters were good for anything, it was that they stayed away from hospitals and since the god had already healed him, she only really need to track the man down using the blood he'd spilled during the torturing, erase the memory of it, and then send him packing. The quicker he left town, the better.

She grabbed a pillow from her bed and a blanket and brought them back to see that Acheron looked as if he was about ready to pass out then and there. "Here," she said and set them down. She grabbed the cloak she always wore and drew it over her shoulders, then lifted the hood. She stopped when her hand rested on the doorknob and she angled her head to the side in his direction but didn't turn fully. "I have to make sure he didn't go to the police or something." She fell silent again before forcing the words out, "I'm sorry...for everything." She very nearly walked out after the last left her lips but she didn't; the desire to make sure he forgave her the only thing on her mind at the moment.

He kept his eyes closed as she moved about the flat, and when she apologized a smile made its way across his lips. "You don't have to leave, he won't be going anywhere." He kept his eyes closed. "He's with Styxx; the punishment he deserves, he'll be getting."

He stood up then, grabbing the pillow and blanket and walking into her bedroom. He lay on the bed, waiting for her to come in, which he knew she would. Her bed was comfortable, and he wished badly he could lie on his back, but he stayed lying on his stomach. He didn't want to get any blood on her bed and it stung too much to keep pressure on it. He was nodding off and on, opening his eyes slightly, and then closing them again.

"It's not about punishing him; I already did more than enough of that." At mention of what she'd done, her stomach rolled violently and she had to take several breaths. Oh how she hated having her humanity sometimes. "I don't want to have to worry about exposing your hunters or you, all because of my alter-ego going a bit kill happy." Her brows furrowed as she removed the cloak again and draped it over the counter.

"Styxx? I'm not sure that I understand." Her eyes followed him when he got up and went back into her room and she shifted from one foot to another. For the life of her she couldn't understand why he just didn't go and leave her be. He had to have someplace of his own to rest, somewhere far more welcome and comfortable. When she saw the marks on his back again, she experienced a flicker of sympathy and went for her first aid kit before trailing after him to see that he was already lying on his stomach on the bed, his eyes fighting to stay open. She approached cautiously, a little afraid of touching him after what had happened earlier.

She picked up the washcloth and dampened it, then repeated what she'd done for him in the bath, trying to avoid touching his skin as much as possible while making sure he was somewhat cleaned up. She applied strips of bandages to his back to cover the majority of Artemis' handiwork, using as little pressure as possible. Once she'd finished, she set the kit on the floor beside the bed and lay back on the spot beside him, with only an inch or two of space between them. One hand went under her head and she turned onto her side, facing away from him. She didn't fall asleep though, just stared into nothing and tried not to think.

He allowed her to tend to his wounds, he gritted his teeth at her touch, and although she was gentle, it still hurt. She had asked about Styxx, and even though it wasn't a topic he was particularly happy to talk about, he began speaking anyways. "Styxx is my twin, the human half of me. When we were born he was cursed to stay alive as long as I lived, and vice versa. So when I was killed and brought into my God form, he came with me. He's just an immortal human. I had kept him trapped for years, well, since I was killed, but not too long ago I allowed him to be free and enjoy the world. I figured he had suffered long enough for what he did to me in my human life."

He paused, his eyes flickering open then closing again. He liked that she was so close to him, that things were almost back to normal. "He won't exactly hurt the Hunter, but he won't make his life all roses and chocolates either." He rolled onto his side, a position far more comfortable but still kept his eyes closed. Feeling her presence was enough for him. "Oh…by the way, thanks for leaving me hanging earlier, literally. You could have at least let me finish before you stomped off freaking out." He smiled, referencing back to their previous sex. He loved teasing her.

She listened to his explanation and wondered what Styxx would do to the guy. Part of her felt bad, oddly. True the guy had attacked her but he'd just been doing his job. "Can you get him to release the hunter?" she asked softly. "He shouldn't be there. He could have a family or something. I'm not exactly going to send him a fruit basket but he was only following his gut instincts. I'm a vampire/demon hybrid; of course he would have gone after me. I was going to find him and alter his memory after making sure your secret stayed protected."

Her mind went back over his explanation and snagged on one detail. "What did he do to you in your human life?" She felt the bed move when he did and laughed at his comment about earlier. It was a good thing his eyes were closed or he'd have seen her blush and teased her even more. "Sorry…I'd make it up to you but you look as if you'll start snoring less than a second after we start." It took a lot of her courage and willpower, but she rolled over onto her other side, looked at his tired yet smiling face, and cuddled closer to his chest. She didn't feel 100% stable yet but she needed comfort and knew he would give it. Even if he did pass out, he was there with her, and that meant far more to her than he could ever know.

He smiled, and opened his eyes; his hand came up to rub her cheek. "No, especially since you make me do all the work." He winked, teasing her again. He sighed. "Styxx….Styxx only did what he was taught by our Father and the rest of our family. He hated me, called me a whore almost constantly; he even believed his first fiancé when she said I had raped her." He sighed again. "Which I didn't. He was my twin, and he should have been there for me, but the only reason he even agreed to keep me alive was because if I died then he did too. Which ended up happening anyways."

She didn't respond to his teasing other than a slight smile. She was sort of afraid of touching him anyway, and hoped that he would relax and sleep soon. She could tell that he needed it. When he explained about his brother, her gaze turned very soft in her sadness. Just when she thought that her heart couldn't break anymore for him, he told her something and it was ripped apart again. "I'm so sorry for all that you've been through..." she rubbed her cheek against his hand, her eyes falling closed then opening to watch him. "You should rest..."

He started to doze off, only hearing half of what she was saying. Just as he fell into a deep sleep, a pain shot through his arm. It felt as if fire was rippling through him. "Ouch!" He exclaimed, shooting off the bed and tearing his shirt off. "What the hell, Simi?!"

He tore at his arm, at the small dragon tattoo that was crawling up his arm. Suddenly, the tattoo vanished, and in front of him stood an extremely tall demon, clad in all black with pig tails. "How many times do I have to tell you; do not bite me when you are hungry?!" He shouted at the demon. Simi only giggled, swaying back and forth.

When Acheron seemed to take her advice and finally let his eyes fall shut, she carefully got up and was about to go into the other room to read when he cried out in pain and she whirled to see what happened. Had his wounds reopened? She was just in time to see the tattoo she'd been admiring before disappear only to turn into…a girl? Arsenic had seen a lot in her lifetime but to see a tattoo suddenly take form into a girl was...unusual.

She flicked her eyes between the stranger and Acheron, brows furrowed. "I'm…confused." She wasn't even sure which of the two that she should keep an eye on, she was so caught off guard. "I knew there were things you haven't told me, love, but this...uhm..." She ran a hand through her hair. "Explain...please?"

He ran a hand through his hair; it turned from black to blonde as he did so, his anger mounting at the small demon. How many times did he have to tell her? If she was hungry, all she had to do was ask. It wasn't like they couldn't communicate telepathically. "Get out of my face, and when you're done eating go back to Katoteros." He shooed the demon away. "And do not eat any humans!" The demon sighed, bowing her head and walking out of the room, as she passed Arsenic she giggled, lifting her eyes to view the woman, and then walking away without a single word. Acheron sighed. "Sorry…" He sat on the edge of the bed. "That's my demon...her name is Simi, she's like my guardian, a gift from my mother when I first became a God."

Arsenic watched the exchange without a word, then felt a little self conscious when the girl...demon...whatever she was looked at her before disappearing. She blinked rapidly when he told her about what the girl was and she pressed her lips together to gather her thoughts and to prevent something stupid from coming out of her mouth. Not that it worked though. "Well aren't you just full of surprises?" She approached him and looked down at him from where he perched on the bed and gave him a teasing smile. "Heck of a gift from your mother...sounds like an interesting woman."

"She's an amazing woman, I just wish I could….well, touch her." He grimaced. "That sounded so wrong." He smiled. "I can never be around my Mother; it would mean the end of the world. So…I have Simi, who's like my daughter."

Nodding her head in acceptance of his answer, she straddled his lap on the bed and wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close. She ran her fingers through his hair and rested her chin on top of his head. She could hear the pain and longing in his voice at the fact that he couldn't see his mother without there being grave consequences and she hurt for him. She always hurt for him. If she knew how, she'd chase away all the shadows in his silver eyes and leave nothing behind but the contentment she glimpsed when he looked at her. "You're lucky to have Simi then, and I'm grateful to your mother for giving you someone to care for you when no one ever has."

"Yeah." He smiled, agreeing. He was glad things were back to normal, and he didn't wince when she put her hand in his hair. "Simi is…great, but a handful. She obviously doesn't have the same diet as me, or even you." He laughed. "And she is always hungry."

"Maybe I can meet her formally next time," she suggested lightly. She wasn't sure he'd agree or if it was a good idea even. But if he truly meant to stay in her life, it would be unavoidable. "She must have a dozen stories to tell!" She giggled and peppered his face with kisses, slowly feeling herself go back to the same girl he knew and loved. She'd scared herself earlier when she'd gone dark, and she didn't want to ever put him through that again.

What had broken the hold the ripper had on her had been her love for the god, as well as the mind-numbing agony at the thought of not finding her way back to him. Her thoughts brought fresh tears to her eyes and she laid her chin back on top of his head, ceasing in the kisses. She didn't want him to know that it was still on her mind. "If you're still tired then you're welcome to lie back down. I'll be up a while, probably."

He relished in her kisses, enjoying every single one. "Sure, I'd love for you to get close to Simi, but she's always in a hurry, so I'm not sure when you'll get to actually sit down with her. I'm sure if you brought her some BBQ sauce you could grab her attention." He laughed. He could almost hear the tears in her eyes when she rested her chin on his head. He lay backwards, letting her fall on top of him. "I'm not that tired anymore."

"What does she do when she's not...well...a tattoo? And what sort of demon is she? I've never heard of one that could turn into a tattoo like that." She laughed at the BBQ sauce comment and filed it away for a later date. She loved him and if she wanted to win the demoness' favor, she would need all the advantages she could get. She blushed bright red as a thought occurred to her. "How much is she aware of in that state?"

His sudden action of falling back on the bed made her yelp and she found herself leaning over him, her hair around them. She was about to say something but forgot whatever it was, the only thing she was able to focus on was him. She lifted a hand to trail a fingertip along the sharp lines of his handsome face and a brief smile graced her mouth. How in the world had she gotten so lucky to have someone like him fall in love with her? She couldn't have been more undeserving of it, and that fact was blindingly apparent in retrospect of the day's events.

"She usually just eats." He laughed. "No, she acts just like your normal teenage girl. She blows up my credit cards, talks to strange boys, and well, eats some more." He grinned. "She doesn't know about our sex, if that's what you're asking, I block that from her, and next time I'll tell her to get lost during it if you want me to."

Arsenic giggled at his description of Simi, and hoped to become friends with the demon. He spoke of her like a parent would, and she could tell that he loved and cherished the demon. "Perhaps you simply spoil her too much," she teased. She heaved a relieved breath that Simi wasn't aware of their intimacy moments, and nuzzled his neck. "I think that would make me a bit more comfortable, yes. Would feel like a threesome or something otherwise," she laughed.

"Yeah…definitely having a threesome with my demon daughter. Nope, not happening." He winked at her. "And she's a Charonte demon, by the way." He enjoyed the feel of her skin, and rubbed his hands up and down her sides. "Are you feeling better?"

She shook her head at his humor and laughed. She would never tire of it...of him. When his hands moved over her she was torn between two desires; to pull away and to get closer. While his touch always soothed her, she couldn't forget what she'd done and said. He accepted that it hadn't completely been her at the time in control, but she wasn't so keen on forgiving herself. She forced her expression to stay light and carefree, when in truth she was anything but. "I'm fine," she answered then deflected. "How's your back?"

"Don't worry about my back, its fine." He smiled. "The more pressing matter is, are _you_ okay? Because it really seems like you aren't."

"Are you serious right now? You have the girl that you love straddling your lap and you want to ask if I'm okay." She scoffed and rolled off of him. "No, I'm not fine or even in the vicinity of okay. I won't be for a while until the faces and memories stop haunting me. Not to mention all the things I said to you and that Diablos will be really pissed at me for this. Both that it happened and that I let go. If it weren't for you, I'd still be there. That hunter would either be dead or tortured in as many creative ways as I can imagine and trust me, there are a lot." She sighed and crossed her arms defensively and went to the window to look out of it but wasn't focused on the view. She knew he was only concerned but at the moment she didn't want or need it. Or deserve it.

He shot up, grabbing her from the window, and placing her back on top of him. "I'm sorry….let me start this again." He winked and used his powers to strip them both. "Is this what I'm supposed to do?" He laughed licking his lips.

She didn't get far before he'd grabbed her and she was bare again and she bit her lip. How could he even want her anymore in that way? She simply didn't understand but she'd already left him in the lurch in that department earlier, so she sort of owed it to him to finish this time. Also it just might be a good distraction from her troubled thoughts. "Not sure, maybe we can figure it out together," she whispered seductively and watched him from beneath her lowered lashes.

* * *

Even though she'd said that she didn't purr, she couldn't help doing so right then as her body ached in the most wonderful way and she lay there on the bed under him, quivering. She was panting which was almost funny since as a vampire, she didn't need to. "Mm… that was even better than last time I think," she mumbled and kissed his jaw lightly.

He rolled over, laying next to her, and turned his head to look at her. "Really?" He asked, amused, trying to catch his breath.

She nodded breathlessly, still unable to speak just yet and smiled. She scooted closer to him so their bodies were close and nuzzled him.

He wrapped his arm around her, finally content. "Thanks for finally letting me finish," He joked.

"Right, I'm so sorry that my complete freak out meltdown killed your mood," she retorted scathingly and bit into his arm. She didn't do it very hard, but enough to playfully punish him.

He rolled his eyes. "Sorry, every side of you turns me on. Can't help myself." He laughed.

"Caveman." She snickered at him and traced patterns on his chest absently, content just to be in his arms. "I'm sorry about everything I said and did to you...I never would have if it'd been me. I'm ashamed of it still."

"I understand." He whispered. "I don't blame you for anything that was said or done. And I've already put it past us."

"I know you do but I needed to say it...Sincerely." She looked up and into his mercurial eyes and knew that he could see the regret in her own. "I know you don't blame me and have let it go, but I can't...not for a while. Still really noisy up here," she said and tapped her temple with a fingertip.

"All wounds heal with time." It was all he could say, one of the many things he lived by, and it definitely applied to her.

"Have yours?" she countered evenly with one eyebrow raised. She disagreed with his statement. Nothing healed; all it did was scar over and leave behind phantom pain and numbness.

He had a feeling she would ask that question, he tried answering as honestly as he could without saying no. "Mine are just taking a little bit more time than usual."

"Exactly." She shook her head at him. "If a god who's over 1100 years old hasn't healed completely, how am I supposed to believe that my 700 year's worth will? Say what you want, believe what you want, but to me that's a lie. It doesn't heal, it scabs over and then reopens and you're drowning in your own agony and the misery of it. Yours won't heal fully until you're free of the bitch goddess; what have I got to look forward to?" She felt the coldness returning to her at the words and drew her comforter down and curled up in it. "In the mean time, I get to go back and forth between the desire to kill and feel nothing, to feeling too much and wanting the former."

He sighed, tightening his arm around her. "I firmly believe things heal with time. We can't exactly go off human time. Wounds heal for them in days or months, but they don't even live full centuries. Plus, their cuts aren't as deep as ours."

"Then what hope do we have that they'll ever heal?" Her voice shook with emotion and she cursed her still somewhat fragile mind-state. She'd been shutting away the ripper for so many centuries that even a brief surfacing was too much for her to bear. "I'm so tired of feeling the ice in my chest Acheron. Of being alone and having nothing. Even if I wanted to hold onto something, there's the fight inside that we've talked about. I want it all to heal and go away so I can find happiness, if not peace... Is that too much to ask?"

He put his arm behind his head and stared at the ceiling. "Immortality at one point in time seemed like such a great gift to me. To never die, to never feel the pain of dying…to never have to go through such a thing. It seemed so appealing." He ran his other hand through her hair. "What they didn't tell me were the prices I'd have to pay in exchange for living forever. That I would have to watch all the people I loved die, which I would have to go through unbearable pains, and fight with my inner self every moment of every day. That the loneliness would never fade, even when I found the one woman I want to spend eternity with. That real happiness was always just out of reach, but still touching my fingertips." He sighed. "Every action has a consequence, no matter if it was our fault or not. We're living forever, and that has a major price to pay."

At his words, her tears finally stopped threatening to fall and broke free. She agreed with everything he said and it hurt. She pressed closer to him, the misery overwhelming all of her other senses and taking over her mind. She hated being a hybrid because it had taken so much away from her and given nothing back but loneliness and pain. She'd watched people die and tried not to get close to them, using her icy heart and cold words as a shield. But nothing could drive away or heal the ache of being alone. Were it up to her, she'd have welcomed death, on the off chance that she could find whatever her sister had. But even that she knew was impossible. She'd done too much over the centuries to ever be welcomed anywhere, so all she could do is wish and wander. "I hate it sometimes...that it's so heavy to bear. It's why I stay away from people. The less I care and the more I say to get them to not care, the easier it is. It's still lonely and never-ending, but it's better than causing another the same kind of grief."

He sighed, allowing her to press in closer to him. "When I was human I wished for death every minute of every day. I even tried to kill myself, but as I started to die so did Styxx. I had slashed my wrists and was bleeding out, and Styxx fell unconscious out of nowhere. That's how they knew I was dying. So they brought me back, not because they cared about me, but because they cared about him." Tears were welling in his eyes. "You can't imagine how disappointed I was when I came back after finally dying. I had wished for so long that I was gone, and when I finally was given exactly what I wanted it was ripped from my hands." He swallowed. "I still wish for it, but now I have people to protect, I have an entire set of Hunters under me looking up to me for guidance and help when they need it. If it wasn't for them I would just disappear. I would act just like Savitar."

Her heart broke for him and she didn't say anything at first. She didn't really know what to say. "After Leora died I went mad and tried to join her, tried a lot of ways to. Obviously, since I'm still here, they failed." She didn't go into detail. He'd gone through more and somehow turned out stronger, while she had not. "Who's Savitar?"

"I'm glad you're still here," He whispered in her ear before nipping at it. He smiled, returning his eyes back to the ceiling. "Savitar is my best friend. He's stronger than me, and not really a God, but something else entirely." He frowned. "In fact I'm not sure what he is, he goes by the term God but he's far too powerful. He doesn't really like being far from the beach and his surfboard, and he absolutely hates being bothered. I'm the only person who can summon him without consequences." He laughed. "He trained me when I was a new God, right after my Mother destroyed Atlantis. He spends almost all of his time on an island outside the human realm of time and space surfing."

"He sounds like a charming fellow," she laughed. "You sure do meet interesting people my love." Arsenic relaxed into his side and let her mind drift off into the peacefulness of the moment. Being around the god always calmed the wildness and the cold in her, and it was a feeling she didn't know how to handle sometimes. But it was also one she never wanted to end.

He loved the feeling of having her so close to him, cuddled into his side. He was way too protective over her. He smiled to himself. "I do, but I guess you can't live as long as I and not meet interesting people."

"I guess so...I think I forget how old you are sometimes," she admitted sheepishly. She smiled up at him and ran her fingertips over his features lightly.

"I don't ever forget…until I look in the mirror and realize I still look twenty-one." He laughed.

Arsenic giggled and moved closer to him, nuzzling at his chest with her nose. She loved spending time with him like this, when it was so natural and nothing else mattered but the two of them and how happy they were. "I love you..."

He smiled, looking down at her. "I love you too…more than I probably should." He wished they could stay like that forever, but he knew eventually they would have to get up and return to the real world.

"Why more than you should?" She asked, peering up at him. Wasn't it a good thing that he did?

"I swore off love, remember?" He smiled. "I'm just scared, I can't help it."

"So did I," she answered. She bit her lip and looked up and into his eyes and smiled affectionately. "Looks like it had other plans, hm? Why are you scared?"

"I'm afraid I'm going to screw up, or tell you something that causes you to leave. I don't know…I'm just scared of losing you now that I have you."

"Acheron..." she cradled his face with both hands and kissed him sweetly, her thumb rubbing his cheek. "There's nothing you could ever do to mess this up, other than break my heart. I'm not going to leave, if you want me gone then you're going to have to be the one to say it and mean it, otherwise you're stuck with me."

"Good." He smiled. "That's all I needed to know."

She beamed at him and pulled him closer for a long and soft kiss. She really did love him, and the feeling knocked her feet out from under her each time she admitted it. "You're it for me Acheron. Bottom line."

"You'll tire of me eventually." He sighed, sitting up in the bed. "Everyone always does, or I'll do something that turns me against you. People used to do that, you know? I would touch them; merely touch them, not even badly. I could be trying to hug someone and they would slap me away like I was trash."

"That will never happen..." she whispered. She understood where he was coming from but couldn't help but feel sad that he didn't have enough faith in her to believe that she meant it when she said forever.

"I know." He smiled. He looked over at the window, shaking his head. "No, it can't be dawn already. How long have we been laying there?"

"I wasn't paying attention so a while I guess. Why?" She looked at the window then him curiously. "Is something wrong?"

"Well, if its dawn my Dark-Hunters are laying down to rest, which means I missed a full night of work." He ran a hand through his hair. "Which means I have to work double time tonight."

"Oh..." she answered and pulled her own hair off her neck a moment and let go. "Do you have to go?"

He laid back. "Not now. They sleep during the day, remember?"

"Right, yeah. Duh." She laughed sheepishly and tried to stifle a yawn. It had been a long day and night.

He rubbed his hand on her thigh. "You should get some rest."

She shook her head stubbornly. "Don't wanna."

He groaned. "Come on..."

She shook her head again as if he were a slow child from side to side. "Nope. Not gonna and you can't make me."

"Fine." He crossed his arms.

She giggled and nuzzled at his neck. "Success! I love you..."

He laughed. "I let you get away with way too much, but I love you too."

She giggled at him and nipped his shoulder. "No idea what you mean. I'm the picture of innocence."

He looked at her in disbelief then rolled his eyes. "Yeah, and I'm an angel come to save the world."

She looked at him through lowered lashes and smiled sweetly. "You're my angel and saved my world so I don't disagree."

He laughed, and then flung himself back on the bed clutching at his chest. "Oh, the flattery is just too much!"

She rolled her eyes at his antics and contemplated throwing something at him and settled for climbing into his lap and kissing him. "Try to be loving and nice to a guy and I get mocked? I see how it is."

He laughed, kissing her back and wrapping his arms around her waist. "I just couldn't help myself, it was the perfect opportunity."

"You're mean, Acheron..." she sulked and lifted her chin in a pout. She tried to keep her sullen expression on her face but wasn't sure how long she'd be able to with his arms around her or with him kissing her.

"Well, if I remember correctly, I told you I was a sexy man beast. And if all the stories are true, a beast is a pretty mean creature." He laughed, kissing down her neck.

"The beast and the hybrid...strange bedfellows you and I." She squirmed at his kisses and swatted his arm. "Stop that! You weren't nice to me so I'm mad at you." She stuck her tongue out at him childishly and hoped that he would know she was only joking.

He bit her tongue then stuck his lower lip out in a pout and batted his eyelashes. "You're mad at me? But babe…." He had to stop himself from grinning and push his lip back out.

She mewled softly and grabbed a handful of his shirt to tug him closer and kissed him. "Damn you and your charms..."

He laughed. "Me? Charms? Psh." He scrunched his nose. "I know not what you speak of."

"To quote Diablos: Lies and blasphemy." She nuzzled her nose against his neck affectionately.

He chuckled. "You know, recently I ran into Dia, and I must say, he's not that bad of a guy."

She pulled back a bit, biting her lip. "You did? Please tell me he wasn't a total asshole?"

"No, actually, we got along nicely, and had a really great conversation about life and the Gods and vampires…and humans."

"Oh..." she tilted her head slightly. "That's good I guess. That you're getting along. He's not really welcoming of the idea of men in my life."

"I noticed that at first, but the more we talked the more used to the fact he seemed to be. Or maybe my lust just overcame him…" He snickered.

Her eyes widened in horror and her face turned as white as a sheet at his words and she buried her head in her hands, her raven hair falling in a curtain around her and hiding her features. "Acheron…please..please.._please_ tell me that you didn't give him details of our sex life!" Oh geez, she'd never be able to look at the older vampire in the eyes again…

"What? No! That's between us. I did tell him we had sex, but that was pretty much the extent of that."

She glared at him. "I'm sorry but is there supposed to be a distinction between the two? Because I'm not seeing it!"

He rolled his eyes. "Yes, I would say there is a distinction. I told him I had had sexual relations with you, referring to how I had calmed you down. But I didn't tell him, 'Well, first I slid my fingers deep inside her...' No, that is between us. That is a big distinction."

Arsenic blushed bright red and covered his mouth with both hands. "Okay stop! Please, I beg of you!"

He pulled her hand away, confusion crossing his face. "Are you ashamed of our love making?"

"Acheron no, of course I'm not!" she denied and shook her head. "It's not that at all, I swear to you. I guess I just didn't want my friendship with Dia to become strained and thinking that he's going to be picturing us together in bed the next time I see him is embarrassing because I know him and he'll be an ass about it. A joking ass but still, he'll tease me about it and then I'll get mad at him." She sighed slightly. "I could never be ashamed of our lovemaking or you or any part of us. Dia's always been my friend and I never thought that friendship would clash with my personal relationships. It's complicated and I'm not sure I've explained right but I am in no way ashamed, I promise. That could never happen."

"Okay…" He drew the word out, unsure what to say.

"Not ashamed...promise. I love you and could never be ashamed of what we are or do with each other."

He rubbed his nose against her neck, breathing in her scent. "I love you too... I just don't want this to be another replay of all the things I've been through."

"It won't be...when are you going to believe me when I say that?" She shivered at the contact and glanced at him from the corner of her eye.

"When you aren't ashamed of our sex," He teased, smiling up at her.

"But… Argh!" She growled at him and bit his shoulder. "You're frustrating, you know that?"

He nodded his head. "So I've been told."

"Still love you though."

"You better!" He said, throwing her back on the bed and pinning her down.

"Of course I do, you dolt." She laughed and looked up at him.

He leaned into her kiss while pinning her arms above her head. "Dolt? That's a new one."

"Gotta change it up sometimes...keep you on your toes." She winked at him and laughed.

He rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say."

"I say…that I love you! Now what sexy man beast?" she grinned at him.

"I say I love you too." He smiled, leaning down to kiss her.

"Yeah?" she bit her lip and kissed him back. "I love everything you say...except when you annoy me...Or hurt my feelings."

"You know I don't mean to, right? I'm still just a guy." He grimaced.

"I know babe...I'm used to Dia's hard-headedness so yours is definitely more bearable." She smiled up at him and kissed him lightly.

He kissed her back. "Good." He smiled.

She relaxed into the kiss and pulled him closer, running her hands through his hair. "Does this mean I'm forgiven for my behavior yesterday?" she asked softly when he let her up for air that she didn't truly need.

"Hmm…I don't know." He whispered against her lips.

"You don't know? Why don't you know?" she replied and skimmed his jaw lightly with kisses. "I really didn't mean to act that way, you know that right?"

"I know, you're just an idiot by nature." He laughed teasingly.

She mewled softly in hurt and turned wide eyes on him. "You're mean..."

He sighed. "I was just kidding. Why are you so emotional lately?" He asked looking at her. "It's that time of the month, isn't it?"

She glared at him and bit his shoulder once more in punishment. "You're hilarious, really. No...It's because of the temporary break in sanity. The switch going back and forth so fast. Everything's going to be heightened for a while until it settles back to its normal numbness. The memories plague me while awake and asleep, the screams, my emotions are unstable. It's why I try so hard not to go back to it. I hate the constant roller-coaster but there's nothing I can do to stop it." She looked up at him sadly and bit her lip. "Just…bear with me please? I'm not going to be myself and I don't know how long it'll last."

He stared into her eyes and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. He caressed her cheek with his thumb for a moment before dropping his hand back to his side. "I'll wait as long as I need to."

She smiled and relaxed at his reaction, turning her head to kiss his palm. She'd been half afraid that he'd change his mind about being with her after all she'd put him through and was relieved to know that wasn't the case. She needed him by her side, and that fact left her with mixed emotions. "Thank you..." she whispered and glanced at the bed then him. "Would you mind just laying with me? Doesn't have to be sexual or anything, I just want to be close to you...please?"

He nodded, flopping onto the bed and propping his head up on his hand. "Come on," He said gesturing for her.

She happily curled against his side, laying her head on his chest and slipping her arm around his waist. Once comfortable, she let out a contented sigh. "I love you for being so understanding about everything...especially after what I did and said as my other self."

He wrapped his arm around her waist. "I love you for you, all of you. I can't accept one part and not the other."

"I know...it just means a lot to me that you accept _any_ part of me." She smiled and caressed his cheek lightly before kissing him.

He returned her kiss softly then pulled back. "Why is it so hard for me to believe that you're actually here, that you actually love me as much as I love you?"

"Probably because no one's ever said they loved you and meant it without strings or punishment attached?" she replied honestly and smiled briefly. "I have the same problem love, it's okay. I'm real." Arsenic lifted his hand to touch her cheek and kissed his palm, then lowered it to her chest. "This may not beat but it'll always be yours, no questions asked."

He traced his finger on her chest, looking up; he smiled through the hair that had fallen in his face. He pushed it away carelessly. "You're too good to be true," He whispered.

Arsenic bit her lip and smiled at him warmly, expression very soft. "I could say the same for you sexy man beast," she replied and almost laughed. He was too good to be true, and while she knew that, she didn't care enough to let it stop her. Usually it would have made her push him away twice as hard but she'd already tried to push him and he hadn't budged. "I am true...and I'm yours for as long as you want me to be...longer actually because I doubt that I could stop loving you if I tried, no matter what you felt."

"You're the only woman I've ever met that didn't try to jump me within the first five seconds of meeting, you know that? And I really appreciate that…you're just so different from anyone I've ever come in contact with. And that's saying a lot considering I've been on this planet for centuries. You are just so gorgeous…and smart…and...Did I mention gorgeous?" He lifted her hand, placing a kiss on each knuckle.

A blush crept onto her cheeks as he spoke and she broke his gaze in embarrassment. "Probably because I'm so stubborn," she quipped lightly. She'd wanted to jump him right away but her curiosity over him had won out over that baser instinct, prompting her to talk to him. Talking that one night had led to walking, which had eventually brought them to this moment here and now. "Stop...I'm not good with compliments," she protested with a self conscious laugh and met his gaze again at his kiss on her hand. He could be so devilishly charming when he wanted to be that it left her speechless.


	13. Chapter 13

**_A/N: Acheron does not belong to me_**

_Everything hurt._ Arsenic groaned as she fit the key into the lock on the door to her flat, using all of her strength to remain upright. She lost patience with it after a moment and broke the doorknob, pushing it open and slamming it shut once she'd entered. One hand was thrown out to hold her steady and she let out a whimper. It was worth it though, she would heal and suffer through the nightmares but what mattered was that Acheron was safe.

The attacker had taken his sweet time torturing her, and had finally released her not moments ago. It seemed that there was a weakness that she hadn't known about, she mused absently as she headed for the kitchen to retrieve a blood bag. Gold. How the grey face had known that was rather worrying but she didn't care enough to consider it at the moment. What she needed was blood, and soon. Normally she'd have used her powers to speed up the healing process but this time she simply didn't bother. She deserved every ounce of the agony her body was in, she reminded herself. Now she'd never have children, but she wasn't really supposed to anyway so that wasn't a concern either.

As soon as she'd been let go, she'd returned to her own apartment. The moment she was well again she would lock herself in the panic room until she'd settled back to her natural state of mind. Due to her humanity switch going back and forth; it would be a while before she was stable. Her attention shifted when she heard footsteps in the hallway and she tensed. Had the myserious personn come back for more? That wariness mounted when there was a knock and she went to answer, summoning a dagger into her hand. She pulled it open to greet the person, the weapon behind her back only to sigh when she saw who it was. "What are you doing here?"

Something was wrong. Acheron had been out fighting Daimons when a feeling in his gut told him that Arsenic was in trouble and he wasted no time flashing to her apartment and knocked. One hand braced on the wall, he tried not to throw it open and waited for her to answer. Once she had, her greeting only made his worry and concern grow.

For a moment he heard her thoughts, the pain she was in like a glimpse before the window shut again. In a flash he had her in his arms as carefully as he possibly could and a blood bag in her mouth. "What happened? Tell me," he said, placing her on the counter and healing her to the best of his abilities. "Who did this to you?" he snarled.

She didn't try to hide the cry of pain when he put his arms around her and couldn't stop the sound from escaping. The blood bag was quickly ripped open and she drained it in less than a minute. The more blood that went into her, the stronger she began to feel and his added healing helped. That was before she remembered that she'd asked for it to happen and she gently pushed him away.

"Stop," she protested. "I'm fine, Acheron; I can heal on my own. I don't even know to be honest so there's no one for you to even go after. Please…" She looked into his eyes and pleaded with him not to ask her to explain. How was she going to tell him that she'd offered herself up to be tortured to protect him? It would ruin him and she couldn't let that happen.

He gripped the edge of the counter, huffing at her response yet still trying to control himself. He handed her another blood bag with his free hand and stopped concentrating on healing her. He tried his best to catch another glimpse of her thoughts but it was to no avail. They were blocked off from each other again. "What aren't you telling me?"

She could tell that he was angry both at her condition and for her pushing him away but she was too prideful and stubborn to accept his help. She'd been the one to clean him up once but now that the roles were reversed, she was having trouble letting him take care of her. Muttering a thank you, she accepted the blood bag and took her time with it to avoid answering right away.

She couldn't even meet his eyes when he asked and darted her gaze away from his, her jaw clenching. "It's nothing. I'll be fine once I get cleaned up and some rest. Just got on the wrong side of someone is all."

Another lie, since she'd never been the original target, but she didn't know how to break the truth to him. He'd be furious with her for putting herself in such a position and she knew it. The annoying voice in her head told her to tell him the truth already, that he'd only keep asking, but she silenced it.

His jaw felt like it had been wired shut; he was gritting his teeth so hard. He couldn't believe the anger he felt for someone hurting his Arsenic. And for some reason, he felt guilt, like the doing was his fault. This only made him angrier. "I'm going to ask one more time, Arsenic. What happened? If you don't tell me, I'll go and read the minds of everyone you've come in contact with and I'll eventually figure it out. Or…I could go to Artemis and bargain for information about you."

His tone made her cringe because she could hear how badly he was trying to control his rage and she was ashamed that he'd even found her. Was it too much to ask for one night by herself to lick her wounds after the day she'd had? Apparently so. Her eyes widened at his suggestions of what he'd do if she didn't explain and she cursed under her breath. _Damn him_. If he did that then he would find out for sure and if he went to Artemis then not only would she tell him with a grin on her face, but would demand a price for the information.

Setting the blood bag down, she ran a hand through her hair and sighed in defeat. He'd backed her into a corner and she knew it and that irritated her. "Like I said, I don't know who it was, I didn't recognize them. I was just minding my own business and they ordered me to torture someone I cared about. Me being me, I refused. I thought that would be the end of it but I was wrong." She swallowed and kept her gaze away from his, her voice going quieter as she went on. "They kept at it, threatening to torture them if I didn't obey so I suggested a trade. Me for them. It was the only way to get them to back off and it worked, except now I've got a few more scars to add to my collection."

She clenched her jaw and frowned, fiddling with the bag as she remembered the various methods of hurting her that the mystery person had used. How had he known that gold was a weakness? Who'd sent him? Half of her wondered if it had been Artemis, in an attempt to break Acheron's love for her. She wouldn't have been surprised if that was the case. "Can I go get a shower and changed? I've got blood all over me."

His eyes widened as she explained how this had happened to her. "This was because…" he licked his lips, "they were threatening to do something to _me_, weren't they?" His tone softened, he ran his hand through his hair, pulling it out of his face in the process.

When she asked to take a shower, he let go of the counter and backed away. His mind was swirling with possibilities, of who it was, what they wanted. Why they'd attacked her over him. He turned around without saying anything to her and headed to the living room where he plopped down on the couch, his staff appearing in his hand. He suddenly felt like he needed to have it around.

Seeing his reaction to her words hurt and she desperately wished that she could take them back but it was already too late. She'd told him what happened without saying specifically who but he wasn't stupid. That was confirmed when he asked her if it had been him and she sat in silence. She didn't need to answer, he already knew the truth.

As soon as he'd moved away from the counter, she eased herself off of it and suppressed a small cringe. He'd healed most of her injuries but she was still sore. It was ironic that they now had another thing in common; they'd both been gutted by an enemy. The only difference being that he'd been betrayed and left to die by Artemis, while she'd endured it alone. She briefly thought of saying something to reassure or soothe his anger or mind but could think of nothing so she went off to take her shower.

She stood in front of the mirror while the water heated and looked over the newest scars, her fingertips tracing the one on her stomach. Disgusted, she smashed the mirror and stepped into the shower, turning the temperature as hot as it would go and leaning against the wall. Her tears mixed with the water that cascaded over her, turning the bottom of the tub a light pink as the blood washed off.

Acheron flinched when he heard the glass break but thought better of going into the bathroom to see if she was okay. She clearly didn't want his help, even when he tried healing her, she'd denied his powers. Another glimpse of her thoughts came into his mind, blood flowing off her body into the shower and salty tears sliding down her pale cheeks. Why was he seeing these things?

He hit his head with his staff, hard enough to crush his skull if he were human. He knew it had to be because of Styxx, but why Styxx would be in New Orleans was beyond him. When he'd let him go, Styxx had claimed he was going to be in New York, not here, not _his_ domain. He was worried now.

What if the masked intruder who'd hurt Arsenic was in fact his brother? Styxx had always wanted to get him back for keeping him for thousands of years out of the human realm. Or worse, what if it was Artemis? If it was the goddess masked then it would not be the last of her attacks. He leaned forward, propping his elbows on his knees and put his head in his hands.

By the time she'd finished her shower, her body was pleasantly numb and her tears had stopped falling. She went into her bedroom and changed into a loose shirt and braided her hair to keep it out of her face. She considered her bed for a moment but knew that sleep wouldn't be a good idea just yet. She needed to apologize to him for pushing him away before she did anything else so she made her way back into the living room to find him leaning forward with his head in his hands.

She quietly went up to him and knelt in front of him, lifting his chin with one hand. "I'm sorry, Acheron. I was being stubborn and prideful. Can you forgive me?" Arsenic searched his eyes with her own. She knew that he was worrying over the attacker, so was she. Once he'd said whether he accepted her apology or not, she'd tell him the other bit of news about the person knowing that she had a weakness that she hadn't even been aware of.

Acheron allowed her to lift his head and he listened intently. "I accept your apology." He pulled her hand away, patting it with his and then leaned back on the couch. "Now tell me what you know, I'm being serious. No pride games. I want to know."

A feeling of relief washed over her once he'd forgiven her and she got to her feet to pace. "I don't know much unfortunately. Like I said, I was minding my own business when someone I didn't know gave me the order to torture you. I said no, being my usual charming self and they got insistent. You've been through enough with Artemis and when you were human so I did what I thought was right and persuaded him into a trade; me for you." She ran a hand over the braid and her other rested on her stomach where she'd been cut.

"I could show you what happened if you really want to see it but I can't explain… I wasn't held for long but it was someplace where no one would know to look for me. The other part that's…troublesome I guess is the best word is that they had this gold dagger and said that they knew it was my weakness." She frowned and stopped her pacing to look at him. "How is it possible that someone knew of a weakness that **I** didn't? I've been beaten, staked, stabbed, and a bunch of other things but gold? That's never come up as a problem before."

Acheron didn't have an answer and didn't want to make her relive the experience so he instead led her into the bedroom. "I'll look into it," he promised her. He waited until she'd fallen asleep before flashing out again. He had someone to find.


End file.
